Nepal adopts historic Constitution amid protests
Nepal on Sunday adopted its new fully secular and democratic
Constitution, achieved after seven years of painstaking deliberations,
amid violent protests by minority Madhesi groups over a seven province
federal structure.
“I announce the presented constitution of Nepal, passed by the
Constituent Assembly and authenticated by the chairman of the
Constituent Assembly, effective from today, 20 September 2015, before
the people of Nepal,” President Ram Baran Yadav said as he unveiled the
statute in Parliament.
“I call for unity and cooperation of all at this historic moment,” he
said at the special ceremony at the Constituent Assembly (CA) hall in
Naya Baneshwor to mark the Himalayan nation’s transformation into a
secular, federal democracy from a Hindu monarchy.
He added: “The Constitution is the common document of all of us to
protect our freedom, independence, geographic integrity, and sovereignty
in people.”
With this the Interim Constitution has been annulled.
President Yadav said the newly promulgated ‘Constitution 2072’ has
institutionalised republicanism in the nation. He hoped that the
Constitution would lead Nepal to economic development.
The new Constitution has given an opportunity to maintain unity in
diversity in the nation and ensure rights of all, he added, while
addressing the final meeting of the CA as the Assembly unanimously
endorsed an acknowledgement motion, thanking the President for
announcing commencement of the statute.
It has been endorsed by 85 per cent of the 601 members of the CA and has
the provision of a bicameral legislation. The Lower House or the House
of Representatives will have 375 members and the Upper House has 60
members.
The Constitution has 37 divisions, 304 articles and 7 annexes. The seven
provinces will be finalised by a high-level commission within a year.
Sunday’s historic moment came amid protests by Madhesi groups over the issue of federating the country.
Violence surrounding the federal structure that will divide the country
into seven provinces has triggered violence in the Himalayan nation,
claiming at least 40 lives including one reported on Sunday.
Promulgation of the long-pending Constitution came amid high security,
including a large number of security personnel deployed at the CA hall.
In central and eastern Nepal as well as in hilly districts, firecrackers
went off as people celebrated the occasion of having their own
Constitution — the first to be drafted by elected representatives —
after a 67 year—long democratic struggle.
Madhesis and the Tharu ethnic communities in southern Nepal and some
western districts are opposed to the new Constitution as they believe it
has failed to address concerns raised by the Madhesis and the Tharu
ethnic communities.
India, that sent Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar as Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s special envoy to urge top Nepalese leadership to address
concerns of all sides, had expressed concern over the ongoing violence.
Promulgation of the statute should be an occasion of joy and not
violence, Mr. Jaishankar said on Saturdayyesterday, a day before the
unveiling of the new statute following protests that has spilled over to
districts bordering India.
Security was tightened in the southern Nepal districts, where nearly 40
people were killed over the last one month during violent protests
against the seven province model that would be incorporated in the new
Constitution.
One protester was killed and several other injured as police opened fire
at protesters demonstrating defying curfew and declaration of
prohibited zone in Birgunj, a town bordering India.
Security has also been tightened in and around Rastrapati Bhawan, Prime
Minister’s Office, residents of chiefs of diplomatic missions in Nepal
and other high government officials and foreign missions.
Vehicular movement was very thin in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur,
where people lighted candles at public places soon after the President
unveiled the new Constitution.
Earlier, a bomb threat was sounded in two places of Lalitpur district,
adjoining Kathmandu, but the suspicious objects were found to be hoax,
police said.
Keywords: Nepal, adopts historic Constitution, amid protests, Ram Baran Yadav
