Itahari, March 2:

Constituent Assembly chairman Subas Nembang said today that the government was not serious about ending the bandhs and strikes being organised in different parts of the country to facilitate the CA teams who are in the districts to collect people’s opinions on the new statute.

Nembang said he had requested the government to convene a meeting of security bodies and hold talks with agitating groups to end bandhs and strikes before the 40 CA teams left for different villages.

“I request the government again to create a conducive environment for opinion collection. In fact, the government should have already addressed the demands of the agitating groups,” Nembang said, talking to mediapersons, here today. “Everyone has the right to put forth their demands. But it’s not good to refrain from giving opinions to the CA teams,” he added.

Saying that the writing of a new constitution was a historic opportunity for Nepali people, he urged all to utilise it. “The constitution can be written within the stipulated time if the opinions and suggestions came on time,” he added.

Nembang also urged the CA members to play an objective and unbiased role in the constitution-drafting process. “How can I tell the opinion collection teams to do this or that? They should understand the whole process and play their part accordingly,” he said, urging the CA members not to fall under the influence of any political party. He also said the process of collecting opinions on statute was a new one for Nepali people. “

The CA has sent 40 teams of CA members to different districts. Each team is divided into different sub-teams so as to reach each and every village,” he said.

The process of collecting opinions will complete by March 23 and the teams will submit their reports to the CA by March 28, according to Nembang.

“The report will then by studied and analysed by subject-wise CA committees. They will then prepare their concepts and prepare an initial draft of the statute by April 23,” he added.