Tamghas, Jan. 9: For years, Raj Kumar Pariyar, 23, of Dhurkot Rural Municipality-7, Gulmi, was denied citizenship because his father could not be identified. But on Monday, he finally received a citizenship certificate in the name of his mother.

He was so happy that he could barely speak. He hoped that the citizenship would open new doors for him. “The certificate may give me access to opportunities that I had so far been deprived of,” he said expectantly.

Pariyar can drive a jeep. But a lack of citizenship had prevented him from obtaining a driving licence. “I had not even been able to purchase a SIM card for my mobile,” he recalled the ordeals he had faced because of the lack of the certificate. “May all that change now!” he exclaimed.

Meanwhile, his mother, 53-year-old Gyani Pariyar, hoped that Raj Kumar receiving the citizenship certificate would allow her other two sons to receive citizenship certificates as well.

Gyani is speech-impaired and her sons were born from strangers she cannot identify. This made them unable to obtain citizenship until the government amended the Citizenship Act last year.

Assistant Chief District Officer of Gulmi Hari Prasad Gaire informed that five people had received citizenship certificates in the name of their mothers in the district since the Citizenship Act was amended on May 31, 2023, and its corresponding regulation was amended on September 21.

As per the District Administration Office (DAO), those wishing to apply for citizenship in their mother’s name must furnish their mother’s citizenship or death certificate if she has passed away, three-generation details of their mother’s family, their birth certificate under the mother’s name, official certificate of relationship and necessary recommendations from the ward office. After examining these documents, the DAO may ask to police to conduct further investigations into the applicant if any of the documents look suspicious or are missing.

If everything is found to be in order, then the Administration will grant the applicant a citizenship certificate in their mother’s name.

Praising the DAO and the government, Padam Prasad Pandey, chairman of Gulmi’s Civil Society, emphasised everyone who is forced to be stateless despite being born to Nepali mothers should be provided with citizenship certificates.

 “Only they know the pain their situation causes,” he said, emphasising the need to effectively inform everyone about the amendments and their right to receive citizenship in their mother’s name.