Citizenship bill misinterpreted: Chair Dahal

CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said the bill relating to acquiring citizenship was misinterpreted.

Talking to journalists today, Dahal, also the former Prime Minister, claimed that the citizenship bill was misinterpreted to serve an implied ill-objective.

The citizenship bill is now under consideration in the National Assembly (NA) and it would go to the President for authentication after its endorsement from the upper House, he added.

"The present bill has the provision to grant citizenship to the children (sons and daughters) whose fathers and mothers both are Nepali citizens", Dahal clarified.

Around six to seven lakh Nepali have been deprived of obtaining citizenship despite their fathers and mothers both being Nepali, he asserted, adding, "Both fathers and mothers are Nepali. Their children have been denied of opportunity for not getting citizenship. The bill was introduced to address the particular situation".