Valley
CPN-UML urges agitators for talks
The CPN-UML has once again urged the Madhes-centric parties to sit for talks to seek a peaceful solution to accomplish the historic task of writing a constitution through elected representatives.The CPN-UML has once again urged the Madhes-centric parties to sit for talks to seek a peaceful solution to accomplish the historic task of writing a constitution through elected representatives.
The party said that the ongoing violent protests would not give a solution to demands put forth by the disgruntled parties, and would derail the process of institutionalising achievements gained in the past.
The appeal for talks comes at a time when protests in Madhes are turning more violent by the day. Disgruntled forces have been demanding to revise major parties’ bid to federate the country into seven provinces.
So far, at least 34 people including 10 police personnel and a two-year-old child have lost their lives in protests since August 10 in the southern plains and the far-western region.
“Let’s sit for negotiations. There is still room for accommodating concerns in the statute,” Oli said. “We can make changes in the 54-point amendment proposal on the revised draft before the constitution is promulgated.”
Oli also assured of revising demarcation of provinces based on the recommendations of the proposed Federal Commission in the days ahead.
“If there are any lapses in the constitution and demarcation of provinces, they can be addressed through the Federal Commission we have proposed in the new constitution,” he said.
All Madhes-centric parties, including Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Loktantrik, a signatory of the 16-point agreement between four parties, and a few other small parties have walked out of the Constituent Assembly demanding that the plan to go for a seven-province model be corrected.
The Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar-led MJF-L had walked out of the constitution writing process claiming that the major parties were reluctant to create a separate state for the Tharu community in the seven-province model.
Despite Prime Minister Sushil Koirala’s repeated attempts to urge agitating parties to sit for talks, Oli said the Madhes-centric parties’ reluctance raised questions over their motives.
“This could very well indicate that these parties are not in favour of a new constitution,” said Oli, terming the ongoing unrest a ‘forced protest’.