7th amendment bill to amend interim constitution presented

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 3- Dec.: A bill to amend the interim for the 7th time was presented at parliament Tuesday by Law Minister Prem Bahadur Singh even as major parties differ on major issues to be incorporated in a proposed constitution that has to be promulgated by 28 May 2010.
Amendment to article of the interim constitution will enable the president and vice-president to take their oaths of office in the mother tongue as well besides Nepali.
The bill’s purpose is to activate the vice-presidency before President Dr Ram Baran Yadav proceeds on a state visit of India early 2010.
Question has arisen who will assume his duties in the president’s absence from the country.
Vice-president is inactive after Parmanandha Jha refused to take his oath of office in Nepali as directed by the supreme court.
Jha took his oath in Hindi refusing to take his oath of office and secrecy in Nepali.
Hindi is not the mother tongue of Nepalis.
Vice-coordinator of MJF Jayaprakash Prakash Gupta Tuesday sought Chairman Prachanda’s support for the bill’s passage.
Parliament rejected by voice vote Gupta’s objection notice which said wouldn’t resolve the language dispute relating to Jha; Gupta demanded government bring another bill to reinstate the vice-president whose perks the government has cancelled.
“If the bill is passed in the present form, the vice-presidency won’t be activated,” Gupta argued.
Jha is from MJF.
“This bill has been introduced with the hope the vice-president will take his oath after its passage,” Minister Singh said.
Government has introduced the bill for its convenience.
The government is killing two birds with one stone.
This is a strange reason to amend the basic law of the land.
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Congress, UML discuss Maoist concerns

Kathmandu, 30 Dec.: Ruling parties Nepali Congress and UML are continuing discussions at the Congress parliamentary office Wednesday how to address Maoist concerns as the main opposition has adopted a stiff attitude to the government and the president.
“We have come to the conclusion the peace process end can’t be achieved without the management and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants,” UML’s Yubaraj Ghimere said after the first meeting at its office Tuesday.
“We’ve to resolve our own problems. Maoists have unnecessarily brought in India. It isn’t right,” Congress Spokesman Arjun Narsingh KC said after the meet.
Congress and UML condemned Maoist call for direct talks with India to discuss its demands.
Chairman Prachanda condemned the two ruling parties as Indian puppets.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“We’re poor in the 21st century because in the past we couldn’t manage the nation’s politics.”

(President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Kantipur, 30 Dec.)
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