Thank you CK Lal for your poignant argument about the Citizenship Bill "In a state of statelessness" (#41). We Nepalis would not wish the Buddha denied citizenship for whatever reasons. In the same vein, those genuine Nepali regardless of their ethnic background and whatever the potential problems of process, should not be denied their right of citizenship.

B Rana
Brunei

CK Lal seems to give the impression that he is more comfortable with the Nepali tarai being flooded with True Indians from the south rather than True Nepalis from the hills. The present Citizenship Bill entitles every Indian to be a Nepali citizen. Why doesn't he instead suggest a way by which the genuine tarai people get citizenship easily?

"Another Nepali" by email

I just wish there were many more Nepalis who view the ill-fated Citizenship Bill in as broad a perspective as CK Lal does. There are millions of Nepalis born in this country who are deprived of basic proof that they are citizens. The bill is the hope for stateless madhesi Nepalis, why can't the political parties see that? OK, there are chances that some Indians will try to get citizenship from the tarai districts. But to prevent this happening we have to ensure that genuine Nepalis benefit from the bill and existing rules must be enforced and strengthened to prevent Indians from illegally obtaining citizenship. Madhesi Nepalis are living with pahadi Nepalis in Mahottari, Dhanusha, Sarlahi where 98 percent of the people are madhesi. Why can't our pahadi friends even think of giving bonafide Nepalis citizenship?

Dhirendra Karna
Jaleshwor/Kathmandu