Signatures collected at NC mahasamiti meeting for Hindu state

Setopati

2018-12-16 12:48:28

Signatures are being collected to make Nepal a Hindu state in the ongoing mahasamiti meeting of the main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC). A group led by general convention member from Kathmandu-7 Prashant Man Singh is collecting the signatures to put pressure on the party to include sanatan (eternal) Hindu state in its statute as well as the constitution. The group plans to submit the collected signatures to President Sher Bahadur Deuba Sunday itself. "How can we remain a democratic party when those of us who consider the people to be sovereign cannot address the demand of the majority of the people?" the promotional materials kept at the place of collecting signatures read. "The party's statute and the constitution must be amended in a way to accept Nepal as a sanatan Hindu state. We are collecting signatures of mahasamiti members as we believe that NC should lead this initiative." Singh claimed that more than 300 mahasamiti members have already signed for the initiative. He said that 400 signatures (25 percent of the total members) will be required to take the agenda of Hindu state to the mahasamiti meeting. "We will submit the collected signatures to party president as far as possible or register them in the secretariat. NC General Secretary Shashank Koirala, who has been demanding a referendum about Hindu state, did not speak about the issue in the inaugural session of the mahasamiti meeting on Saturday. He has not signed for the initiative as well. The political document of the party also mentions that the country will remain a secular state as per the constitution.