KATHMANDU:- MP Ashiq Tamang has said that the legal hurdles and practical suffering of Nepalis living abroad have not been addressed in the commitment letter. She expressed this complaint in a long comment on the social networking site Facebook.

Tamang writes, “We have planned for the country, but why have we forgotten our basic pillars that are supporting the country economically? As a public representative, I would like to say that protecting the national interest is our primary duty. But a system that makes our own citizens feel second-class or pushes them away cannot be accepted anymore.”

She said that Nepali expatriates should be viewed with respect, not suspicion.

“They have not left the country, but rather have carried Nepal to every corner of the world,” she says. “Now is the time to make laws not just strict in letter but fair in practice. Policies should not just be reflected on paper, but in the self-respect of every Nepali.”

She has objected to the provisions in the Nepal Citizenship Regulations.

She says that the system of being eligible for certain political or administrative rights only after three months of renouncing a foreign permanent residence permit (PR) is unjust.

Tamang asks, “Are Nepalis living abroad less Nepali than those living in their own country?” Stating that Rule 7(a) of the regulations and the related procedures raise serious questions.

Reminding that millions of Nepalis are abroad for employment and opportunities, she said that they have never abandoned their identity and connection to the country. She noted that Article 10 of the Constitution of Nepal 2072 BS clearly provides that no Nepali shall be deprived of the right to citizenship, but in practice, there is a tendency to doubt the basis of obtaining PR.

Tamang says, “Getting a PR is not about forgetting the country, but just a means to make life easier. Even if the body is abroad, the mind and identity are always in Nepal.”