Constitution to be issued on set date: PM Koirala

            Kathmandu, Nov 12: Prime Minister Sushil Koirala has urged one and all not to doubt the promulgation of a new constitution on the stipulated date.

            The Prime Minister said so to a delegation of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) that had reached his residence at Baluwater this morning to hand him a memorandum calling for the job and physical security of journalists and the professional development of the entire media sector, among others.

            The FNJ team met with the Prime Minister in course of the FNJ's three-month special campaign to exert pressure for constitution writing in stipulated time.

            Stating they wanted to move ahead on the basis of consensus, collaboration and unity for constitution writing, the Prime Minister called on all the political parties to be serious to that end. He added that the positive role of the entire press sector including the FNJ was expected in this endeavour.

The FNJ delegation led by the Federation's central president Dr Mahendra Bista drew the Prime Minister's attention towards the need of implementing the Working Journalists Act, establishment of a media training institute, providing insurance coverage to journalists and the establishment of the conflict-affected journalists welfare fund, etc., along with a detailed concept.

            FNJ president Dr Bista said the Federation drew the attention of the Prime Minister and through him of the government, the Constituent Assembly and the political parties to complete the constitution writing task within January 22, 2015 for completing the peace process and institutionalizing the agenda of change.

            "Going by the widening rift and the political polarization between the political parties seen of late serious doubts have surfaced whether the political parties would be able to give the country a democratic constitution within January 22, 2015, the date they had promised," he said adding that the FNJ has urged focusing attention to formulating a democratic constitution with complete press freedom and the freedom of expression for institutionalizing important achievements as democracy, republic, federalism and inclusion which have been achieved as a result of the democratic movement and struggles.

            The FNJ is presently on a three-month campaign with the slogan – Let Us Not Break the Promise Made to the Nepali People and Make the Constitution within January 22, 2015.

            Apart from president Bista, the delegation comprised the immediate past president of FNJ Shiva Gaunle, advisor Poshan KC, vice presidents Khila Bahadur Bhandari and Anita Bindu, secretary Dharmendra Karna and Dhruba Lamsal, treasurer Suryamani Gautam and central members and the members of the Accounts Committee. RSS