Kathmandu, November 19:

As the winter session of the interim parliament began in Singha Durbar today, various organisations representing minority and the marginalised groups staged a sit-in at four points around Singha durbar to press the political parties reach a national consensus on fixing a date for constituent assembly polls, adopting a fully proportional electoral system for the polls and declaring a republic.

The agitators brought the traffic to a halt at Padmodaya chowk, Bhadrakali, Maitighar Mandala and South Gate of Singha durbar for nearly two hours from 2 pm. “We want political parties to reach a consensus regarding CA poll and fix a date at the earliest possible,” said Pasang Sherpa, president of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities.

He said their other demands included proportional representative system for polls and announcement of a republic. “We appeal to all to join our campaign to press the parties to act responsibly and address these issues.”

Sherpa said they would stage a sit-in in front of the PM’s residence at Baluwatar tomorrow for an hour from 8 am.

The agitators later handed over a memorandum to speaker Subas Chandra Nembang at his office. Nembang called on the whips of the parties in the parliament and briefed them on their demands. “This government and the parties need a nudge from time to time to make them act responsibly. We cannot afford any uncertainty on CA polls,” Sherpa said.