Kathmandu, October 15:

Demanding the government adopt Nepal Sambat from this year, a delegation of Newar National Liberation Front (NNLF), today handed over a memorandum to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ at his official residence in Baluwatar.

In reply, PM Dahal informed the delegation that his party is near to consensus over the issue and assured that the next cabinet meeting would dwelt on the matter. The memorandum signed by NNLF president Hitman Shakya and general secretary Pawan Man Shrestha stated that the Bikram Sambat introduced by Indian king Bikramaditya, which was not recognised by the Indian government, cannot be the national calendar of Nepal.

“We request the first government of republic country to adopt Nepal Sambat created by a Nepali Shankhadhar Sakhwa some 1128 years ago as the Nepali national calendar right from this year.”