KATHMANDU, Dec 19: The chairman of the National Assembly, Ganesh Timilsina, has expressed dissatisfaction with the practice of foreign daughters-in-law obtaining Nepali citizenship immediately after marriage. Speaking at an event in the capital on Tuesday, he noted that the law allowing citizenship for foreign daughters-in-law upon marriage was enacted amid controversy.
Speaker Timilsina remarked, "The provision for foreign women to acquire Nepali citizenship immediately after marrying a Nepali man was passed amid controversy." He also recalled the existing system where the citizenship process could only be started after seven years of marriage and residence in India.
Referring to Nepali citizens marrying in India and China, Timilsina added, "We have populous neighbors. There is suspicion that occasional disputes with neighbors today may lead to problems or undermine nationalism tomorrow."
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Bimala Rai Paudel, a member of the National Assembly, stated in the program that there exists a legal system where trust is placed in daughters-in-law rather than daughters. She highlighted the discrepancy, noting that Nepali girls marrying in India have to wait seven years to obtain citizenship in that country. Paudel said, "We are compelled to lend support even knowing there is discrimination. As MPs, our hands are tied in the name of party whip."
Another National Assembly member, Anita Devkota, pointed out the disparity between sons and daughters in the citizenship process. "We immediately grant citizenship to those brought in by sons, but not to those who come in through daughters' marriages. This is the difference between sons and daughters," she remarked.
Devkota emphasized the continuation of daughters marrying and moving to men's households due to the lack of equal property rights, stating that many issues could be resolved with the establishment of such rights.
