SPEECH: Minister Minendra Rijal speaking at the PRCC programme.
By Usha Wagle Gautam
Nepal’s Minister of Information and Communications Minendra Rijal was recently in Doha to inaugurate the eighth edition of Nepal Film Technicians’ Association (Nefta) Awards 2015. During his five-day visit, he attended various programmes organised by the Nepalese community.
In one programme organised by the Public Relations Coordination Committee (PRCC), the sister organisation of Nepali Congress (NC) — the biggest political party there — he discussed the recently concluded constitution-making process and the current political scenario of the country.
Rijal said the statute promulgation was the biggest historic moment of the country. “It is the culmination of a long struggle, so all Nepalese should be happy about it.”
Rijal also attended a programme organised by the Qatar chapter of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ). During the programme, Chairman Ganesh Banjade notified Minister Rijal that some provisions on the promulgated statute may hamper press freedom. Rijal said formal and informal talks are going on with agitating parties in southern plains of the country who are not satisfied with the new constitution. “We are working to calm down the situation into normalcy, we will discuss and sort out the issues raised, and also solve diplomatically the issues between Nepal and India,” Rijal said.
Morang Sunsari Service Society (MSSS) also honoured Minister Rijal, who is also from eastern district of Morang. During the programme, Hari Aryal, second secretary at the Nepalese Embassy in Doha, was also present. Rijal reiterated his happiness with Nepal’s recently-passed constitution and thanked the government of Qatar for hosting Nepalese youth and providing them with work. He said that remittances sent by non-resident Nepalese, mainly migrant workers in the Gulf region, are the backbone of the country’s economy.
