Opposition parties in Nepal today announced that they will hold protests to press the coalition government to settle contentious issues in framing the new Constitution through consensus instead of voting in the House.
Led by UCPN (Maoist), the alliance of 22 parties, which also includes Madhesi parties and some ethnic groups, alleged that the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML are shunning the issue of inclusion and participatory system in the new Constitution.
They accused the ruling parties of reneging on the commitment to progressively restructure the state as envisioned by past agreements.
Rejecting the offer to settle contentious issues through voting process, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Prachanda said the opposition alliance will stage demonstrations and mass meetings in Kathmandu, Itahari and Dang districts in the coming weeks against the move.
The opposition parties, which have been obstructing Parliament sessions for over three weeks, have also announced to continue their protests in the House.
Reiterating that a new constitution can be promulgated by January 22, Prachanda demanded that four key issues of the new constitution -- federalism, forms of government, electoral system and judiciary -- be settled only through consensus.
The alliance accused the ruling parties that they were not committed to promulgate progressive and identity-based federalism.
