Himalayan News service

Janakpur, july 26:

Over a dozen people, who have been denied Nepali citizenship, blamed the government’s

‘wrong policy’ for depriving them of their certificates. At a press conference organised today by the Nepali Citizens sans Citizenship Ad hoc Committee, they claimed the government has been denying them citizenship despite them furnishing all details and documents. They said about 22,000 residents of Dhanusa share the plight. Raj Kumar Mahato of Dhanusa, Puspawalpur, said he has not got a citizenship certificate even though he has his mother’s citizenship certificate, father’s land ownership certificate and his own school leaving certificate. “The district administration believes we are non-Nepalis and no matter what evidence we present, they flatly refuse to issue a citizenship certificate,” Mahato said, adding, “A clerk at the DAO once asked me Rs 100,000 for the certificate.” Others also said VDC and district administration officials demand bribes from for the citizenship certificates.

While many Indian nationals have acquired citizenship certificate by bribing DAO employees, many genuine Nepalis, have not been given citizenship, they said. Committee chairman Dev Narayan Shah, said life without a citizenship certificate is worse than death. The members of the committee said they will submit a memorandum to the authorities and warned of a rebellion if their problem was not addressed.