Khandhbari, April 23:

Nepali youths living in India for years have been visiting the Sankhuwasabha district administration office here in large numbers to have their citizenships issued.

Nepali youths living in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Darjeeling and other parts of India for years have been returning to the district to have their citizenship certificates issued since November, said acting chief district officer Krishna Prasad Subedi.

They say they have come to have their citizenships issued to avoid frustration in the future.

Some of them said that they wanted to invest money earned in India to build house and buy land here.

Others say they wanted to have their citizenships issued so that it would be easy for them to have passports issued to get foreign employment.

Man Bahadur Khadka of Syabun-8, who has been living in Nagaland for 15 years, reached the district administration office to have citizenship issued to his son, Ganesh. He said he wanted the document for buying real estate in his son’s name.

Suraj and Ganesh Adhikari of Tamafok-3, who have been living in Guwahati also arrived at

the DAO for getting citizenship certificates.

They said they were here to get citizenship to help get passports issued to try for employment in Gulf countries.

Acting chief district officer Subedi said the DAO issues citizenship certificates only after thorough investigation.

He said, “The investigation may take up to two years to check if those living in India have taken the Indian citizenship or not.”

The Nepalis living in India started to flock to Nepal after the government dispatched teams to issue citizenship certificates in the villages following the Tarai agitation.

Director of the Shark Overseas at Chainpur Ashish Shakya said a group of youths, who were staying in India, have come to the district to have their citizenship issued and have also contacted him for possibility of getting foreign employment.