Birgunj, December 19:

Minister for Commerce and Industry Rajendra Mahato said the tax paid by the people to the government would go to waste if the government failed to draft the new constitution on time.

Talking at a press conference organised by the Sadbhavana Party here today, he warned the possibilities of a political disaster the nation could face and said the people’s hard earned money would go to waste if the new constitution was not drafted in the next 18 months. One can only say the government has failed when it fails to draft the new constitution, conclude the peace process comprehensively and fulfill the Madhesi agenda, he said.

Mahato, also the president of the Sadbhavana Party, said the drafting of the new constitution was on the back burner due to the differences between the three major parties.

He said, “NC, Maoists and CPN-UML are obligated to fulfill the three main agendas of the Jana Andolan.” He also said the government were not successful on solving the crisis of the Tarai armed outfits alleging the assigned negotiang team of not doing their home work properly. He also said that Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam had added fuel to the fire by issuing the notice to the Tarai armed oufits to surrender arms which in fact had only provoked them.

He said the government had not worked according to the 8-point agreement reached with the Madhesi Democratic Front in February and called on the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum and Democratic Madhes Democratic Party to work united manner to achieve the Madhesi rights setting aside their differences.