Both sides should sit for discussions on Nepal-India border dispute: PM Prachanda

Kathmandu, June 5: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said both sides sit down for discussions to resolve the Nepal-India border dispute.

Responding to the lawmakers' questions regarding the agreements reached during his India visit and the authentication of the Citizenship Bill in the House of Representatives today, he stressed that Nepal and India both sides should sit together and hold discussions, keeping the map before them.

"Discussions have been held on several topics during the India visit. We are concerned on topics of national interest and autonomy. Talks have also been held on the topic of map. I subscribe to secularism. No one should do anything that belittles the religious faith of the people. However, my priority was on waste management," the Prime Minister clarified.

PM Prachanda stated that the Citizenship Bill was forwarded to the President for authentication as it was passed by both the houses of the Federal Parliament. As he said, many people were deprived of citizenship as the Bill had not been authenticated for long.

"The next parliament cannot say that it does not accept a bill which has been sent by both the houses of parliament with the due process. The House had forwarded the bill two times to the then President for the authentication," PM said. 

Lawmaker Sueya Bahadur Thapa had called attention of the parliament, saying that the authentication of the bill sent by the previous parliament without informing the current parliament was a wrong legal process.

Lawmakers Bishwa Prasad Sharma and Raghuji Panta suggested that the present National Assembly Chair and the House of Representatives Speaker should certify the Citizenship Bill and send it to the President for his assent. 

Gokarna Bista, Padam Giri, Prem Suwal, Raghuji Panta, Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai, Rajendra Prasad Lingden, Gyanendra Bahadur Shahi, Thakur Gaire, Sishir Khanal, Rabi Lamichhane, Julie Kumari Mahato, Sunita Baral and Bijula Rayamajhi, among the lawmakers, had asked questions to the PM on the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project, border security matters and the President's authentication of the Citizenship Bill by bypassing the parliament.(RSS)