Big III appeal to agitating Tharu, Madhesi forces to sit for talks
Top leaders of three political parties — Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal — today made a fresh call to agitating political parties to sit for talks for addressing their concerns.
Issuing a joint appeal signed by Koirala, Oli and Dahal after a meeting held at Constituent Assembly building late tonight, they said the constitution drafting process was at the final and decisive stage but there was still room to revise the proposed constitution.
Although the joint statement does not mention anything about whether they would be ready to put the ongoing constitution drafting process on hold for talks as demanded by the agitating parties, the leaders said the ongoing process would not be paused.
“Talks and solutions are possible without pausing the CA’s process if the agitating parties are really serious,” said UML leader Jhalanath Khanal.
NC leader Ramchandra Paudel said the agreement could be made so as to settle the issue of boundaries of specific areas through a federal commission later.
UCPN-M leader Girirajmani Pokharel said the issues of Madhesi and Tharu communities could be addressed based on the amendment proposal of the three parties and the eight-province model as mentioned in the amendment proposals of some CA members.
“At a time when the constitution drafting has reached the final stage, we again call all agitating political forces and their leaders to utilise the opportunity to revise the proposed constitution through peaceful talks,” reads the joint statement.
“We are the parties who fought for the rights of Nepali people. Rights and prosperity of people of mountain-hill-Tarai and Madhes is our agenda,” the statement reads. They said even at the worst of times door for talks should not be closed.
The leaders called for talks immediately for preventing negative consequences of strike and movements to the country’s economy and daily life of the people and for ending violence and vandalism.
“Despite differences among us, we can stand together to institutionalise the federal republican system and ensure justice, economic development and inclusion,” reads the joint appeal.
