Kathmandu, April 22

Different ethnic groups and their organizations have intensified their pressure on political leaders to recognize the identity of all the communities and to ensure their rights in the new constitution.

A delegation of the National Muslim Struggle Committee delegation Sunday met the UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, and Nepali Congress (NC) parliamentary party leader Ramchandra Poudel and demanded to ensure the rights and identity of Muslim communities in the new constitution.

Similarly, a Nepalese Federation of Indigenous and Nationalities (NEFIN) delegation met CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and demanded with him to help establish the identity based federal system through the new constitution.

During the meeting with the Muslim delegation, Maoist chairman Prachanda said that the new constitution would honor the demand of Muslim community and added that his party was serious to establish identity based federal system in the country.

Receiving a memorandum submitted by the National Muslim Struggle Committee today, Prachanda expressed his commitment to ensure rights of the Muslim community by recognizing their identity in the new constitution.

On the occasion, the Muslim Struggle Committee leader Mohammad Rijwan Ansari said that the parties should seriously address the rights of the Muslim community in the new constitution.

He also urged for the formation of a Muslim commission to address the problems of the community.

Meanwhile, National Muslim Struggle Alliance submitted a memorandum to NC Vice-President Ramchandra Paudel and demanded to ensure identity and rights of the Muslim community in the new constitution.

Alliance coordinator Sadrum Miya Hak submitted the memo to Poudel at his residence at Boharatar and urged him to ensure rights of all communities, castes and indigenous nationalities in the new constitution.

NC leader Poudel said that his party was serious to establish the rights of all communities including the Muslim community.

Meanwhile, a NEFIN delegation met CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and demanded him to play a role to establish ethnic based federalism in the country.

During the meeting, Khanal said that rights of the indigenous groups will be ensured in the new constitution by maintaining ethnic harmony in the country.

On the occasion, Khanal received a memorandum submitted by NEFIN.

Khanal said that the UML was for a federal structure that would balance ethnic harmony as well as ensure rights of all communities. He urged the leaders of

the NEFIN to give up their demand for ethnicity based federalism because that could destabilize the communal harmony.

Vice-chairman of the NEFIN Norbu Ghale stressed that federalism should be introduced in such a way that recognizes the identity of the indigenous nationalities based on languages, culture and historical contributions.