Nepal: Opposition launches massive protest against Constitution amendment bill

Nepal's main opposition alliance led by CPN UML on Saturday launched a massive protest in the capital to force the government to withdraw the Constitution amendment bill aimed at addressing the demands of agitating Madhesi parties.

The nine party alliance hopes to gather more than one lakh activists and supporters in the capital as a major strength show against the Prime Minister Prachanda-led coalition government's move. The rally is aimed at forcing the government to withdraw the Constitution amendment bill.

The ruling alliance mainly comprising CPN Maoist Centre and Nepali Congress has been making efforts to amend the Constitution aiming to address the demands of agitating Madhesi parties. Eight smaller left parties including CPN- ML, and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) will also join the rally against the government.

CPN UML chairman K P Oli, CPN ML general secretary C P Mainali and NWPP Chairman Narayan Man Bijukchhe are the prominent opposition leaders who will join the protest. The bill, which was was registered at the Parliament Secretariat in November, aims to accommodate the demands of the agitating Madhesi and ethnic groups that include citizenship and boundary demarcation issues among others.

Re-demarcation of the provincial boundary and citizenship issue are the two major demands put forth by the Madhesis. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, launched a six-month- long agitation from September 2015 to February 2016 in which more than 50 people were killed. The agitation had also crippled the landlocked country's economy as supplies from India were blocked.