Maoists, UDMF agree on fresh recruitment in NA

KATHMANDU, April 15: The ruling UCPN (Maoist) and United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), an alliance of five Madhes-based political parties, have agreed to begin new recruitment in the Nepal Army (NA).



A meeting of the leaders of UCPN (Maoist) and the ruling Madhesi parties held at the prime minister´s residence in Baluwatar on Saturday decided to take recruitment process ahead. [break]



The apex court on Thursday had quashed a writ petition that questioned the government´s decision to begin fresh recruitment of 3,000 youths in the national army.



“The finance ministry will soon release necessary budget to begin recruitment,” said Minister for Information and Communications Rajkishor Yadav, who is also the acting chairman of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Republican (MPRF-R), adding, “The defense ministry will submit details of the budget required for fresh recruitment to the finance ministry.”



Similarly, the ruling partners agreed to table a bill on amending the Interim Constitution in parliament in order to address the citizenship issue. The government is also preparing to register a bill for amendment to Article 70 of the Interim Constitution.



“The government will register both the bills in the House simultaneously,” Yadav told Republica. According to Health Minister Rajendra Mahato, who is also the Chairman of Sadbhawana Party (SP), the UCPN (Maoist) and UDMF also agreed to get the bill on inclusion endorsed through parliament.



“We agreed to pass the Inclusion Bill immediately as the new House session begins,” Mahato added. According to Madhesi leaders, the ruling parties will hold meetings with opposition parties in order to garner support for the passage of Inclusion Bill.



Madhesi leaders have been expressing dissatisfaction over lack of progress on Madhesi issues raised in the four-point agreement.



The meeting also said that it is a great achievement of the present coalition to succeed in bringing the Maoist cantonments, arms and combatants under the control of Nepal Army.



“The present coalition government has done what previous governments had failed to,” said Dan Bahadur Chaudhari, minister for women, children and social welfare, who was also present at the meeting.



Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamah Dahal, Finance Minister Barshaman Pun and top leaders of ruling Madhesi parties were present at the meeting.

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