Janakpur, October 5:

Nepali Congress (Democratic) general secretary, Bimalendra Nidhi, today said that elections to a constituent assembly (CA) should not be held unless citizenship certificates are given to those deprived of them.

Nidhi was speaking at a programme organised by the Loktantrik Madheshi Samaj in Janakpur.

“If the deprived do not get citizenship certificates, there is no meaning of

loktantra,” he said, adding that there was dispute among the seven political parties regarding the passage of the bill on citizenship.

He alleged that some parties are saying the bill should be passed by parliament while others say the citizenship problem should be solved through the interim constitution.

Nidhi pointed out that the delay in this regard was exacerbating the problems of the Madheshi community.

Jana Andolan II was successful in drawing the attention of the nation towards the problems faced by the Madheshi community, said Nidhi.

Dr Ramawatar Yadav, Ram Narayan Shah, Dr Ram Kebal Shah, and central member of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandidevi), Renu Yadav also expressed their views on the occasion.