No one disagrees on Nepali citizens obtaining Nepal's citizenship, asserts PM

Kathmandu, June 5: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said that all are agreed that the Nepali citizen should get citizenship without any hassles and the non-citizen being barred from getting one, keeping the larger interest of the state of Nepal at the centre.     

Speaking in the meeting of the House of Representatives today, he stated that this provision on the topic of citizenship has been made in the Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2063 BS and the Constitution of Nepal, 2072 BS as well on the basis of the agreement of all. He made it clear that no one disagrees with this principle.     

According to the PM, laws are necessary to provide citizenship to Nepalis on the basis of birth, in the name of the mother and to Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs). He asserted that all are at one place on the topic of the offspring of parents who are Nepali citizens by birth should get Nepali citizenship.     

"We are of the view that some procedures should be put in place in the case of women coming to Nepal by marrying a Nepali man. Why a dispute is being created on an issue which is without dispute? There are about 1.2 to 1.5 million people who are without citizenship. The ordinance which was brought during the time when KP Oli was the prime minister and the bill brought when Sher Bahadur Deuba was the PM is the same. Why bring into controversy here a topic that is under the court's consideration? All should obey the court's decision," stressed PM Prachanda on the occasion.     

He also informed the Parliament that seven papers have been signed and exchanged between Nepal and India during his recent four-day India visit.     

Giving out information on a topic of public importance in the lower house of the Federal Parliament as per Rule 222 of the House of Representatives Regulations, 2079 BS today, Prime Minister Prachanda said the Nepal-India Transit Treaty has also been amended incorporating topics of far-reaching importance. He added that Nepal's transit facility has been ensured through India's domestic waterway.     

"A memorandum of understanding on the construction of petroleum infrastructure has also been signed during the visit. The development of electric energy and increasing its consumption; construction of electricity infrastructure in the Sudurpaschim region would help conduct its trade to third countries via India. An agreement has been made between the Investment Board and the Indian company on the development of the Lower Arun Project and this project will be constructed on the lower basin area of Arun III," he said.     

PM Prachanda shared that an agreement has been signed for collaboration between the Institute of Foreign Affairs and the Sushma Swaraj Institute of India during the visit. An interaction was also held calling on the Indian investors to invest in Nepal.     

Stating that he also visited Indore and the cultural city Ujjain in India during his visit, PM said his entourage felt that Indore's waste management system was worth emulating. He stressed that his India visit has contributed to making the Nepal-India relations multi-dimensional and further strengthening them. The visit has chalked out the future path to advance Nepal-India relations, he asserted.     

On border-related topics     

Prime Minister Prachanda said, "I want to say this with utmost seriousness and responsibility that I have put forth during India visit the topic that relations between Nepal and India cannot prosper until the border-related problems are resolved. The Indian Prime Minister has also talked about taking the Nepal-India relations to the Himalayan heights. Before I spoke, the Indian PM himself has expressed the commitment that the border problems would be resolved."     

Stating it is clear that Kalapani, Lipulek, and Limpiyadhura are the Nepali territories, the PM urged the lawmakers not to create confusion on this.     

"The India visit was not only successful but also result-oriented. The topic of Nepal, India and Bangladesh reaching a tripartite agreement is significant. I am concerned about the allegation that I have traded off Nepali territory. I was thinking that the achievements of the visit would be welcomed, but it has been criticised instead. I have not talked about alternatives (on resolving the border problem). All the videos are there as evidence of this," he added.     

Stating that he had only mentioned what the experts had said on that matter, PM said the 'Bangladesh model (of resolving the border dispute)' was not his. "This thing was said by the intellectual close to the opposition party. I request not to exaggerate this issue and create confusion among the public," PM Dahal said.     

According to him, his four-day-long official visit to India at the invitation of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was centred on further consolidating bilateral relations. Long-term agreements have been made in economic matters, he said, adding that positive agreements have been made in matters of trade, transit, irrigation, agriculture, cross-border petroleum pipeline construction, integrated check posts and infrastructure development.     

He also informed the parliament that positive talks have been held on the operation of the Gautam Buddha International Airport, collaborating in the hydropower development sector and on energy trade with India. The PM said the agreement has been reached on exporting energy from Nepal to Bangladesh.     

Noting that he also held talks on resolving flood and inundation problems in the Nepal-India border areas, PM Dahal said talks were held regarding the construction of a concrete bridge at Jhulaghat with India's support and grants to GP Koirala Institute of Health Science.     

"Discussions were also held and agreements were reached on the smooth supply of fertilizer and on developing improved breeds of animals and cash crops as well as on facilitating bilateral trade, reducing the trade deficit. I have seriously put forth views that the border problem should be resolved according to the established principles. PM Modi's clear opinion has also come on several topics. The 17 kilometres of Kurtha Bijalpura Rail Track has been completed and it has been handed over through virtual means," he asserted.     

The PM reminded me that the topic of bringing the Murrah breed of he-buffalo from India had already been decided seven years back. (RSS)