Kathmandu, July 12:

The Nepali Congress today held its parliamentary party meeting at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar to inform the party’s Constituent Assembly members about the procedures governing the passage of Bills.

Peace and Reconstruction Minister Ram Chandra Poudel informed the CA members about the content of all agreements signed between the government and marginalised groups,” NC CA member Nara Hari Acharya said.

“Poudel told the NC lawmakers that the agreements signed with the marginalised groups were in line with the party’s policy,” Acharya said.

Party general secretary Dr Rambaran Yadav quoted Poudel as saying that Madhes-based parties had agreed to let the parliament function smoothly. Dr Yadav blamed both the Maoists and the Madhes-based parties for portraying the NC in bad light on Madhes issues. “They (Maoist and Madhesi parties) are playing a game to win sympathy of the Tarai people,” he commented.

“The NC is committed to implementing agreements signed with various groups. We even proposed to other parties that agreements signed with marginalised groups be incorporated into the constitution, to no avail,” Dr Yadav said, adding that his party was against using ambiguous wording in the Fifth Amendment Bill.

“We have never said that Madhes should not get its due rights. Every marginalised community should get its due rights, but the CA should debate the issue like One Madhes, One province or the criterion of provinces demarcation,” Dr Yadav said. The parliamentary party meeting of the party is to convene at Singh Durbar at 8 am tomorrow as today’s meeting ended abruptly due to rain.

NC CA members Dr Narayan Khadka, Jeep Chhiring Lama and Lalita Kingring Magar spoke at the meeting. According to Acharya, some of the members asked leaders to clarify as to why the meeting did not take place before.