In a major development, the Nepalese Cabinet has decided to amend its new Constitution to address two key demands of agitating Madhesis. These demands are regarding proportional representation and constituency delimitation.
Nepal Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa on Monday called up External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to inform her about the new developments regarding Constitutional amendment. India welcomed the step and called the development a positive step. New Delhi also urged Nepalese political leadership to show flexibility to find solution in agreed timeframe.
The decision to amend the Constitution was taken at an emergency meeting in Kathmandu on Sunday night which also agreed to set up a political mechanism to recommend solutions to dispute over the proposed provincial boundaries within three months of its formation.
“The External Affairs Minister was informed by Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa on Monday that the Nepalese Cabinet has taken some important decisions to address and resolve demands regarding the Constitution raised by agitating Madhes-based parties. These decisions include amendments to the Constitution on participation in the state organs on the basis of proportionate inclusiveness and delineation of electoral constituencies on the basis of population. The demarcation of provinces is also to be addressed through an appropriate arrangement in the Constitution on the basis of political consensus. Similarly, other demands including citizenship are to be resolved through negotiations and consensus,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
“The Government of India welcomes these developments as positive steps that help create the basis for a resolution of the current impasse in Nepal. As a neighbour and well-wisher, India was deeply concerned at the unrest stemming from internal differences in Nepal on the Constitution.
We urge all Nepali political forces to now demonstrate the necessary maturity and flexibility to find a satisfactory solution to the Constitutional issues through constructive dialogue in an agreed timeframe. We are confident that a return to normalcy in Nepal would create a more secure and predictable climate for unimpeded commerce between our two countries,” MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
Nepal ambassador to India Deep Kumar Upadhyaya told The Pioneer that given the pro-active response from the Government, the crisis should end now. “The Government has given a good package to the protesting groups. Majorities of their demands have been met. The Nepalese Government is making efforts to engage the Madhesis, which is an important part of a political process. Hope this will lead to a new churning out and parties will come together for an agreement. I am hopeful this will end the blockade on the International Border and sufferings of people, and supplies will be restored,” Upadhyaya said.
The agitating Madhes-based parties have been protesting for over four months against the seven-province model proposed in the new Constitution that divides their ancestral land as a way to politically marginalise them. They have blockaded Nepal’s border trade points with India, causing a shortage of essential goods and medicines in the landlocked country. At least 50 people have been killed in protests by Madhesis since August. Madhesis, who reside in Terai region, constitute nearly 52 per cent of Nepal’s population.
The Nepalese Cabinet on Sunday decided to move forward with the Bill to amend the new Constitution which has already been tabled in Parliament. “The Bill has ensured proportional inclusive participation in various state organs as demanded by the agitating parties and has also proposed delimitation of the electoral constituencies based on population,” Minister for Industry Som Prasad Pandey said after the meeting. On political mechanism, he said, it “will recommend solutions to disputes over the proposed provincial boundaries within three months of its formation”.
The Cabinet has also urged the agitating parties to call off their protests, saying their demands can be addressed through dialogue. “Besides these issues, the demands related to citizenship and other issues can also be settled through negotiations. So, we urge them to withdraw the protests immediately,” Pandey said. The Nepal Government is now waiting for the response from the agitating Madhesi parties.