Chitwan, December 13

CPN-UML General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel has doubted the rationale behind the proposed constitution amendment bill, describing the same as a ploy to thwart constitution implementation.

“The statute amendment bill looks like an innocent attempt but it’s not — it’s a ploy of forces that were against constitution promulgation earlier and are now dead set to upset its implementation,” said the UML leader, speaking at the inauguration NGO Federation of Nepal’s 22nd general assembly in Bharatpur today.

“If there is any valid reason for amendment in the charter, the government should be able to convince us in this regard. Otherwise, UML is not for tampering with the constitution just for nothing,” said Pokharel, also stressing on unity among parties for statute implementation.

Pokharel admitted that carving Province 2 by acquiescing to the demand of Madhes-based parties was a mistake. “In fact, it was a mistake of the UML to agree to devise Province 2 in its present shape. The mistake will be redressed in future by doing the needful to keep some parts of hills in the province,” he said.

He accused foreign powers of acting to upset statute implementation by influencing few political parties and the government.