Nepal’s major political parties today agreed to table a Constitution amendment bill to accommodate the demands of Indian-origin Madhesis over the division of their homeland and better representation, a move likely to ease the political logjam and spiralling violence.
After four protesters were killed in police firing during a blockade in the volatile Terai region along the Indian border, Prime Minister K P Oli called a meeting of all major political parties at his residence this morning to find a way out of the ongoing political crisis in the nation.
The meeting ended inconclusively, but the senior leaders of the parties realised the urgency to address the demands raised by the agitating Madhesi parties as the crisis has deepened with the escalation of violence in the Terai districts including Saptari, where the protesters were killed.
During the meeting, Nepali Congress, CPN-UMl, UCPN- Maoist, Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic agreed to proceed with the Bill, currently pending.
Nepali Congress Acting President Ram Chandra Poudel said the meet decided to seek agreement with Madhes-based parties before making changes in the constitution.
During the meeting, Nepali Congress proposed to forward the Constitution Amendment Bill registered by it. The Sushil Koirala-led government had registered the bill at the House in an attempt to address the demands of Madhesis, who are against the division of their homeland in the new Constitution and are pressing for better representation in the Parliament. The bill seeks to include a provision for proportionate and inclusive representation in the Parliament and allocation of seats on the basis of population, which are among the major demands of the agitating Madhesi parties.
Discussion was held on various issues during the meeting, including advancing the Bill to address the demands of the Madhes-based parties, said Dinanath Sharma, spokesperson of the Unified-CPN-Maoist.
However, before endorsement of the Bill for amendment to the constitution, the issue relating to re-demarcation of the boundary of federal provinces should be discussed with the Madhesis as by doing so, all issues raised by the agitating community could addressed in a package deal, he pointed out.