Kathmandu, August 11

Constituent Assembly members of the far-west and the mid-west regions, including the ones belonging to the parties that signed the 16-point pact on June 8, today aired their views supporting the demands raised by the agitating people of the regions.

Taking part in discussion on report of the Constitutional Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee tabled on Sunday, the CA members of the said regions asked the parties to review the six-province model. They sought a separate province in the far-west region without splitting the mid-west region or Tharu and Magar dominant areas.

Krishna Bahadur Mahara of the Unified CPN-Maoist said, “I am against the federal model, as the identity and capability of areas have been ignored while carving out the provinces.” He demanded to include Banke, Bardiya, Dang, Kailali and Kanchanpur in one province and Baglung, Myagdi, Salyan and Rukum in another.

Jitendra Narayan Dev of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic accused the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML of deceiving his party by backtracking from the eight-province model mentioned in the 16-point deal. He sought radical changes in the proposed six-province model.

Dipak Bohara of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party pitched for incorporating the demand ‘of over 80 per cent people who wanted Nepal as Hindu state’ in the constitution.

Amaresh Kumar Singh of the Nepali Congress claimed that the proposed demarcation of federal units flouted the principles of federalism by ignoring people’s rights.

Narayan Man Bijukchhe of the Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party demanded not to mention the provision of threshold in the election system.

Chitra Bahadur KC of Rastriya Janamorcha expressed anger at the splitting Baglung district.

CP Mainali of CPN-ML urged leaders to address the concern about identity while carving out provinces.

Kalpana Chaudhari of MJF-D blamed the leaders of dividing the Tharu-dominant area to legitimise bonded labour. “We will revolt if our region were not kept intact,” she said.

Gopal Dahit of Tharuhat Tarai Party said the key leaders had demarcated the federal units as if they were distributing something from their pockets.

“We will boycott the Constituent Assembly if the Tharu dominant region is not kept intact,” he said.

Five parties boycott CA

KATHMANDU: The alliance of four Madhes-based parties – Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party, Sadbhawana Party and Tarai Madhes Sadbhawana Party – and Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal boycotted Tuesday’s CA meeting, stating that the draft constitution had ignored their concerns. “Leaders distributed the dream of Magarat, Tharuwan and Tamuwan provinces while going to the people. But they ultimately betrayed the people. The federal structure was brought by ignoring the achievements of Madhes, Tharuhat and other movements of underprivileged groups. So, we are boycotting the meeting,” said MJF-N Chairman Upendra Yadav before leaving the CA meeting hall. RPP-Nepal leader Dilanath Giri criticised the leaders of four parties for ignoring the demand of more than 80 per cent Hindus to declare the country as Hindu state.