President cannot discuss the Citizenship Bill: Raghuji Pant

KATHMANDU: Raghuji Pant, a former minister of the CPN (UML), has voiced his disgust that President Ram Chandra Poudel is addressing the Citizenship Bill, which has been blocked in the President’s office.

MP Pant expressed his dissatisfaction, claiming that the president’s discussion of the topic that should be passed in the federal parliament is contrary to the spirit of the constitution.

Speaking at the zero hour of the House of Representatives meeting on Wednesday, he argued that the President, who is the custodian of the Constitution, is sitting in his office and cannot discuss the bill.

He also demanded the government to submit the bill to the parliament immediately. MP Pant said that they are ready to pass the bill quickly after discussing it day and night.

“The President is deliberating on the Citizenship Bill, which is sitting idle,” he said, “Even today, reading that news in daily newspapers is very sad. I urge the government to immediately bring the Citizenship Bill to the House of Representatives and register it. Let’s start discussing it. We are ready to pass it by discussing it as soon as possible, discussing it day and night. But does the spirit of the constitution allow the president to discuss whether it is acceptable or not to issue the bill sitting on dust?

MP Pant said that the President should not do activities that take away the rights of the Federal Parliament.