Sunday, July 13, 2008

Ethnicity-based federalism is a must: Dev Gurung of CPN Maoist

Maoist leader and local development minister Dev Gurung has said that ethnicity-based federalism is the appropriate way to solve the problems facing the country.

Stating that the zonal administrative structure introduced by late King Mahindra was against the aspirations of different communities, Gurung said federal structure based on geography will simply not work.

Talking to Nepalnews on Sunday, the Maoist leader also claimed that ethnicity-based federalism is necessary for harmony and unity among different communities.

He said, "The demand for single Madhes province is irrelevant in the present context because it infringes upon the rights of indigenous groups in Terai, and will give rise to monopoly of some groups there."

Mentioning that his party has proposed 13 states and different sub-states, Gurung said the states should be given autonomy while certain rights related to defence, foreign policy and monitory policy should be with the central government.

According to him, big power projects and highways should be controlled by the central government while the states can devise their development plans on their own.

The Swiss model of federal system is more applicable in our country than any other model, he added.

Stating that national integrity is facing threat, Gurung stressed on the unity among all the nationalist forces to save the sovereignty of the nation

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