Contrary
to the trend of Nepali youths seeking to migrate abroad, British national John
Philip Cross, 90, had renounced his British citizenship 12 years ago in a bid
to acquire a Nepali citizenship.
However, his desire has become a distant dream as concerned
authorities have not yet issued him a Nepali citizenship. “My only wish is to
be recognised as a Nepali national and be laid to rest here, in Nepal,” said
Cross, who speaks Nepali like a native.
भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस्
A World War II veteran, Cross had visited Nepal for the first
time at the invitation of Padam Shamsher Rana in 1947, and was immediately
enticed by the nature, respect and hospitality of Nepali people. According to
Cross, his love for the country had further deepened during his visit in 1976
as the Chief of the British Camp.
Cross is currently residing at Nayagaun in Pokhara with his
adopted son Buddhiman Gurung Dhampu. Although the late king Birendra Bir Bikram
Shah had arranged for Cross’ stay in Nepal for as long as he wants, he wishes
to remain in the country as a bona fide Nepali citizen, the one possessing a
citizenship card issued by the government.
For the past 38 years, Cross has been visiting the District
Administration Office (DAO) in hopes of obtaining a Nepali citizenship. He had
even requested former prime ministers to provide him with Nepali citizenship,
but to no avail.
Cross,
also a philanthropist, has provided financial aid to schools in Kaski and
Lamjung, while the JP Cross Basketball and Volleyball tournament sponsored by
him is organised each year in Pokhara. Cross had also managed to distribute
relief materials during the famine that had gripped the eastern side in 2008.
Cross has been an assistant professor at Kirtupur and happens to be an expert
in Nepali language. He has published 15 books on Gorkha army and its
recruitment process.
भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस्
Meanwhile, Cross has been invited to receive the award for the
oldest war veteran of the Gorkha Rifles next year in India. However, without a
citizenship certificate his travel remains uncertain. Even with some advising
him to apply for a refugee visa, he denied the requests saying that he sees no
reason to seek residency as a refugee in Nepal.
According to sources, a former home minister had taken the
initiative to provide him with the certificate but the process stalled after
change of government leadership. “The indifference shown by previous
governments has denied him the certificate even though he has been living in
the country for decades,” said Dhampu, pointing out that the various
non-residential Nepalis were acquiring Nepali citizenship through illegal
means. “He renounced his British citizenship and devoted his life to Nepal. The
government should recognise him as one of us.”
Indians acquiring Nepali
nationality ‘illegally’
BINOD BHANDARI
Sri
Prasad Mukhiya from Indian state of Bihar had submitted an application to
acquire a Nepali citizenship before he married Urmali Sahani from Rangeli VDC
of Morang.
Seven years after the marriage, Mukhiya received a Nepali
citizenship card, and he is now living with his family in Nepal.
Another Indian national Ajitesh Raya, who married Mitrakumari
from the same VDC, also got a Nepali citizenship with the help of his in-laws.
Hari Prasad Pokharel, secretary of Rangeli VDC, said that the
trend of Indian men marrying Nepali women with an objective of obtaining Nepali
citizenship illegally has gone unchecked.
He claimed that more than 500 Indian people have used unfair
means to gain the cards from Rangeli VDC in the past decade, adding that the
cards were acquired through integrated mobile service camps organised in the
VDC before 2063 BS.
According to sources, Indian men prefer women having Nepali
citizenship for marriage, so much so that some of them do not
even demand dowry, if the bride’s side assures to help them
acquire Nepali citizenship by producing fake documents or using political
pressure.
Administrative Officer at the District Administration Office
Rajan Regmi said that around 40 percent of the Indian nationals who obtained
Nepali citizenship took advantage of the camps. “Those citizenship cards in
possession of Indian nationals can be annulled if the state investigates the
matter seriously.”
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