Five UCPN-M CA members sign note of dissent

KATHMADU,  August 9

Five Unified CPN-Maoist Constituent Assembly members, including party’s General Secretary Krishna Bahadur Mahara, on Sunday registered a six-point note of dissent at Constitutional-Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee against the understanding reached yesterday between the signatories of the 16-point agreement.

The four parties had reached an agreement yesterday midnight to carve out six states in the country.

These UCPN-M CA members said that while the federal units carved out on the basis of multiple identity were by and large okay, the boundaries of the federal units in some districts did not take into account identity and economic capability.

They said that Baglung, Myagdi, Salyan, and Rukum districts had the original identity of Magarat and therefore these districts should be kept in Province 5.

They also said that the four parties’ decision to put Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali and Kanchanpur, the Tharu dominated areas, in different provinces had affected Tharus’ identity.

They said that these Tharu dominated districts should be kept in one province and that state should be developed as an autonomous area for Tharus.

The UCPN-M CA members also demanded to create Karnali special area by incorporating Dolpa, Mugu, Humla, Kalikot, Bajura, Bajhang, Achham and Jajarkot in Province 6.

The UCPN-M CA members also demanded that there should be at least one woman and one Dalit on the executive posts of the legislative bodies at all levels. They also demanded representation of women among the posts of chairperson and vice-chairperson of village and municipal committees.

The UCPN-Maoist CA members also demanded inclusion of marginalised classes, castes, regions and communities, farmers, workers, indigenous nationalities, women, Dalits, Madhesi, Tharus, Muslims, differently abled persons, OBCs and minorities in legislative bodies of all levels and constitutional bodies under the system of proportional inclusion.

UCPN-M CA members said the constitution should mention its pledge against discrimination on the basis of caste in the preamble and promise to create an inclusive state.

Meanwhile, Tharu CA members in the CPDCC and CA members associated with the United Democratic Madhesi Front on Sunday walked out of the CPDCC meeting to protest four parties’ understanding to create six provinces.

Meanwhile, Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa on Sunday organised a press conference and said the four parties ignored people’s feedback on all issues, including the feedback to declare the country a Hindu state. He said his party would resort to agitation to protest the four parties’ monopoly.

Those who registered their note of dissent are CA members Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Shakti Basnet, Rekha Sharma, Shiv Kumar Mandal Kewat and Yogendra Ghising.