Deuba under pressure to get bill passed

Kathmandu, February 26

Nepali Congress lawmakers representing Madhes constituencies today urged party President Sher Bahadur Deuba to ensure passage of the constitution amendment bill.

According to NC lawmaker Farmullah Mansoor, lawmakers representing Tarai constituencies told the party president that the Central Working Committee and the NC Parliamentary Party had decided to bring Madhesis into the national mainstream and therefore the party should make efforts to address the issues raised by Madhesis. “The constitution amendment bill should be passed not to address the concerns of Madhesi parties  but to meet the demands of Madhesi people who think that their concerns have not been addressed by the constitution,” Mansoor added.

Mansoor told Deuba to make efforts to pass the bill via a fast track process, as participation of all the parties would create an environment for voters to vote fearlessly.

Deuba told lawmakers that he was trying to muster two-third majority required to pass the bill.

Mansoor said no political force should block the constitution amendment bill that was aimed at protecting Madhesis’ rights. “If any party does so, it will have no ground to seek votes in Madhes,” he added. Mansoor said the parties should not worry about the outcome of the constitution amendment bill before putting it to vote.