Nepalese parties agree to advance Constitution amendment bill

Kathmandu: Nepal's major political parties on Monday 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.

A day 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.

Violence returned to the landlocked Himalayan nation reeling under acute shortage of essential goods like fuel and LPG due to a two month-long blockade of key border trade points with India called by the Madhesis.

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.

Meanwhile, the ruling and opposition parties would hold talks with the agitating Madhesi parties separately, local media reported.

Nepali Congress Acting President Ram Chandra Poudel said the meet decided to seek agreement with Madhes-based parties before making changes in the constitution.

The Sushil Koirala-led government had registered the amendment bill at the House in an attempt to address the demands of Madhesis, who are against the division of their homeland in the newly promulgated Constitution and are pressing for better representation in the Parliament.

A meeting of Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party yesterday had decided to pile pressure on the ruling parties for endorsement of the bill, the media reports said.

The meeting of the parliament is scheduled for Thursday.

The Madhesi Front has been obstructing proceedings at the House demanding to address its demands.

A number of incidents of violence have been reported in different areas in the Terai, especially after four protesters were gunned down, prompting administration to take measures to quell the escalating unrest.