Nepal PM holds ground over Constitution Bill

Opp disrupts Parliament for 6th day

THE CONSTITUTION Amendment Bill moved in the House to ostensibly address the demands of Nepal’s agitating Madhesis has sharply polarised politics with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” asserting that he will take it to its logical conclusion, while the main opposition continued obstructing the Parliament for the sixth day in a row Wednesday.

Speaking at a programme in Dang, Prachanda said he will not buckle under Opposition pressure and withdraw the Bill that segregates the hills and plain districts and ethnic groups from proposed provinces Number 4 and 5.

The main opposition Communist Party of Nepalunified Marxist Leninist (CPNUML) and its allies hold the view that such an amendment would “destroy the social fabric and sow the seeds of vivisection of the country”. The Bill is unlikely to be passed without the support of the Opposition in a hung Parliament.

Speaker Onsari Gharti who adjourned the House till Friday following obstruction by the Opposition said that she would try to bring the political parties to a consensus on the Bill in the next two days.

In the meantime, a meeting of diplomats, which included UN Resident Representative of Nepal, Valerie Julliand, on Wednesday assessed the situation arising out the confrontation. However, in a departure from past practice, they chose not to issue any statement or advice to the political parties, as “diplomats were divided” on the outcome, a source said.