NC and RJP demand withdrawal of Guthi Bill

Kathmandu, June 12  ,,  The parliamentarians from Nepali Congress (NC) and Rastriya Janata Party (RJP) have demanded that the newly tabled Guthi Bill to be repealed. In today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, they drew the attention of the government towards the protest of Guthiyaar (trustee) in Kathmandu against the Bill and to fulfill their demand. Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Padma Kumari Aryal had presented the Bill in the Federal Parliament on April 29. The Bill stipulates the provisions converting private guthis (trusts) into public ones and relieving trustees from the trust. NC parliamentarian Prakash Man Singh demanded with the government to hold consultations with the stakeholders and consider an amendment on it. Seeking permission from Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara for some time in the onset of the meeting, Singh decried that the Bill was not acceptable in its present form as it stipulated to convert private guthis which are being operated by generations-to-generations into public ones. According to him, more than 2000 guthis in the country would be affected by this Bill and it was against the spirit of constitution and religious freedom. He blamed that the government had squarely attempted to infringe on the people’s right to property. Similarly, RJP parliamentarian Anil Kumar Jha demanded with the government not to withdraw the vacancy launched by the Public Service Commission. He also urged the government to make the vacancy inclusive and proportional, and implement the Lal Commission’s report. According to him, the guthis had played an important role in preserving the culture and religions, and asked the government to repeal the bill related to guthis.