KATHMANDU, July 27

Chairman of Unified CPN-Maoist Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who led the bloody people’s war that cost more than 15,000 lives for a new constitution and secularism, on Monday said the word secularism was not appropriate and would be changed in the new constitution.

Talking to a delegation of Reporters Club Nepal at his residence on Monday, Dahal said states don’t follow any religion and secularism was written to convey the spirit that the state respects religious freedom, but now respecting the people’s feeling, appropriate words would be chosen.

Dahal, however, said no issue and agenda would now delay the constitution drafting process.

Dahal, who also fought against the parliamentary system, said the parliamentary system no longer exists in Nepal with the introduction of a provision that no confidence motion couldn’t be tabled for two years in the parliament and members of the lower House would be elected through proportional representation system. Dahal said his party wanted to name the system ‘democratic system of Nepali model’ but NC didn’t allow it.

Dahal said his party was still for a directly elected chief executive, but the party wouldn’t obstruct the constitution if that was not possible.

However, senior leader of his party Baburam Bhattarai has been campaigning for a directly elected chief executive among various sections of society following the overwhelming demand from people for the same.

Dahal said he was hopeful that the new constitution would come along with the demarcation of Pradeshes as demanded by Madhes-based parties and the parties outside the Constituent Assembly. He, however, said his party wouldn’t present the demarcation as a condition during negotiations.

On citizenship, Dahal said all the parties have agreed to provide children of foreign daughters-in-law citizenship by descent.

He further said talks with Madhes-based parties and Mohan Baidhya led alliance were going on to bring them on board the constitution making process.