Statutory compliance compulsory, NSU vow to step up protests

Reporters Club Event: A group of students associated with the Nepal Student Union (NSU), a student wing of the main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) has drawn serious attention toward its parent party’s attempt to form a central ad hoc committee by breaching the union’s statute.

The agitating students have accused the NC of trying to appoint overaged members in the NSU central ad hoc committee which, according to them, seriously violates the provision in the NSU statue that prohibits nominating a member exceeding the age of 32 in the committee.

Organizing a press conference at the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Wednesday, Nawaraj Tripathi, a member of the union said, “It is wrong to try to appoint a person above the age of 50 in the NSU ad hoc committee leadership.

“It is our demand that the party nominates members in the committee as provisioned in the NSU statue,” he added.

“On what moral ground will the committee formed by breaching the statute will distribute general membership,” he questioned.

A press release issued by the dissatisfied students states: “As per the constitution formulated by directive committee formed by the NC to conduct the 11th convention of the NSU, directive issued by the central committee to conduct the district convention in all 77 districts and NSU statute 2027 seventh amendment 2075 Part II Article 5 (5) which restricts a person aged above 32 to become a member of the NSU, district conventions in 16 districts and lower level convention in 40 districts have concluded; and in the context when 21 districts are preparing to hold convention, we conclude the NC leadership’s attempt to appoint an overaged person to the committee by violating the NSU statute is an insult of the democratic practice.”

NSU Tribhuvan University Committee Secretary Yogendra Rawal said the attempt to convert the NSU into Nepal Elders’ Union is not acceptable to them.

“It is an insult to energetic students,” he said.

The dissatisfied students have also warned of a plausible strike in front of the NC Central Office, Sanepa if the ad hoc committee is not formed as per the NSU statute.