20 July, Kathmandu:
The Constituent Assembly, Civic Relations and Constitution Suggestions Committee organised here today a constitution draft people’s submission programme where most of the participants were for reinstating the country as a ‘Hindu state’ in the new constitution, otherwise ensuring ‘religious freedom’.
In the programme held at local Dashrath Stadium for the people of the Kathmandu constituency no.1, the participants asked how the country with over 80 per cent Hindu people can be secular? Nilubaba Mishra demanded the removal of word ‘secularism’ from the final draft of the constitution. Similarly, one Devi Neupane was in view of replacing the world secular with the Sanatan Hindu State. If Hindu state was not possible, religious freedom will be acceptable for all.
Man Bahadur Khadka and Nirmal Shrestha argued that some leaders in the past succeeded in including secularism in the Interim Constitution following foreign pressure and on the greed of financial gains.
Madhusudan Adhikari said federalism with eight provinces as stated in the constitution draft is unbearable for the country’s economy and such provision should be revised. Existing five development regions could be converted into six provinces while federating the country, he said.
Baburam Ghimire said academic qualification instead of age limit is essential for the political appointment of high profile posts of the government. The language of the preliminary draft is confusing while it is overburdened with unnecessary words.
Most of participants stressed the need of implementing electoral threshold to discourage ill practices in politics. The reservation system be based on class not caste and it should be adopted for the certain time.
Pramod Raj Upreti voiced for continuing cow as the national animal and holding referendum to decide the matter of monarchy while Bir Bahadur Bhote called for announcing the country as a Buddhist state. Likewise Birat Kafle stressed that focus should be given on the creation of employment opportunity rather than providing unemployment allowance.
Cadres of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal (RPP-N) who entered the stadium hall stating to take part in the people’s submission were taken out by the security forces as they chanted slogans for stating the Hindu state in the very beginning of the programme.
The progamme was held with the presence of CA member from the constituency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Prakashman Singh, PR CA members Mohan Rai and Baburam Pokhrel.
On the occasion, lawmaker Singh pledged to make corrections in the draft on the basis of people’s submission and promulgate the federal democratic republic constitution soon. RSS
