Kathmandu, July 25:

Matrika Yadav, central committee member of CPN-Maoist and president of Madheshi National Liberation Front today said had he been issued citizenship certificate on time, he “would have got a job as a peon and not be in this present situation.”

Speaking at the programme on Citizenship and Future Constitution organised by Chintan Chautari, Yadav said, “The then government questioned the Madhesi people’s right to get citizenship certificates from this country.”

“Citizens living along the Nepal-India borders of the Terai and the Nepal-China border of the mountain region are facing problems to acquire citizenship certificates and are being treated as second-class citizens,” he said adding that if the interim constitution does not address this issue there is a possibility of partition of the country.

The new constitution should be pro-people and should not deprive the citizens of their rights. “People have right to rebel if they are not treated as equal citizens and given their rights as the citizens,” he said. “We were given voting rights to elect politicians but not considered eligible to be the candidates of the election.”

Dr Meena Acharya, women right activist said, “Women and children are deprived of their citizenship rights and it has affected the poor people hardest.” The issue of citizenship is the issue of giving equal rights to women and not only the problem of few women, Dr Acharya said.

Upend Yadav, president of Mashes Rights Forum said, “The country cannot move ahead without working out on this issue. Instead of looking for documents to verify the people to issue citizenships, the administrators make field visits and decide accordingly.”

Bhogendra Thakur, general secretary of Madheshi Jagaran Abhiyan said, “Many people who have been living in this country for generations are being treated as non-citizens. There is a need of change in attitude and the mindset of policy makers and rulers.”