Kavre, June 15 Information and Communication Minister Gokul Prasad Baskota has said the government is trying to address issues surrounding the Guthi Bill in a scientific way. “As the bill is linked to our culture, tradition and customs on the one hand and production and farmers’ rights on the other, the government is trying to hold intensive discussion on this bill as to address concerns raised, and make the bill more scientific,” said the minister, addressing a programme at Sipaghat in Mandan-Deupur Municipality, today. He questioned the rationale behind the demand that temples should be allowed to occupy a large swathe of land to profit the priests or temple management committee members, leaving the farmers high and dry. “We have promulgated a constitution that stipulates for providing land to the landless and for increasing productivity.Butwhile Working to achieve the objective, some people are crying foul against the government. How is this justifiable?”asked the minister. He alleged that the protesting people are not ready even to hold discussion on the bill and said that their intention was dubious. “Those who are against discussions on the bill and want it to be scrapped altogether must be the people who have been getting benefits from the guthi’s land by paying zero or minimum tax to the government,” Baskota argued, claiming even the Guthi Sansthan doesn’t have a detailed record on the number of guthis across the country. “The Guthi Bill just aims to manage huge amount of land belonging to various guthis, that’s all,” he reiterated. “It’s not surprising that some big fish benefiting from guthi land are upset by the government’s efforts to ensure the rights of small farmers to land,” he said.