Nepal Constituent Assembly directs Government to maintain communal harmony

Kathmandu, July 29 : The Constituent Assembly (CA) of Nepal has issued a directive to the Government, asking it to take immediate steps to maintain communal harmony in the wake of the ongoing protests against the Vice President Parmananda Jha for taking oath in Hindi language.

On Monday, the Constituent Assembly unanimously passed a 'proposal of public interest' presented by Maoist Constituent Assembly member Chandra Prakash Gajurel.

The proposal expressed worry that agitations could harm communal harmony in the country.

Commenting on the proposal, Nepali Congress Constituent Assembly member Laxman Ghimire, MJF's Bijaya Gachhedar and the UML's Pradeep Gyawali emphasised that the parties needed to work together to ward off possible communal discord.

They also expressed support to the proposal tabled by the Maoist party.

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Situala said the government was taking all necessary measures to control the protests and claimed that the situation was fully under control.

On Wednesday, President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, clad in the Nepal costume, had taken the oath of office and secrecy in Nepali. However, when he administered the oath of office to Vice President Jha, who was clad in a dress that many identify with Indian parliamentarians, the latter preferred to take the oath in Hindi.

According to an independent statistics, only 0.05 per cent of people living in Terai speak Hindi. The majority of the people there speak Bhojpuri, Maithali, Avadhi and other local dialects, Nepalnews reported.

ANI