UDMF warns to obstruct budget

KATHMANDU, July 13: United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), an alliance of five Madhes-based political parties, has issued an ultimatum asking the government to either meet their demands by 1 pm Thursday or face parliamentary obstruction on the budget day.



“Keeping in view the sensitivity of the issue like budget announcements, we gave an ultimatum to the government to meet our demands by 1 pm Thursday,” said Nandan Kumar Dutta, deputy parliamentary party leader of Madhesi People´s Right Forum-Republican (MPRF-R), adding, “we will reconsider our stance if the government gives us word to meet our demands even at the eleventh hour.” [break]



As an indication of the Front´s readiness to go ahead with the obstruction of the parliamentary proceedings, a joint meeting of parliamentary parties associated with the UDMF on Wednesday issued whip to their lawmakers for their mandatory presence on the budget day, according to Dutta. The meeting concluded that the government has not taken their demands seriously and neglected the Madhes issues raised by them.



“A joint meeting of the leaders scheduled for Thursday will chalk out further strategy,” Rajendra Mahato, chairman of Sadbhawana Party (SP), told Republica. The lawmakers associated with the UDMF have urged the leadership not to step back. “If the government wants confrontation let us be prepared for that,” Atmaram Sah, general secretary of MPRF-R, quoted the lawmakers as saying.



The UDMF has demanded that the government allocate Rs 5 million budget to establish schools in the name of each 52 martyrs of the Madhes movement in their respective districts and Rs 20 million for the treatment and rehabilitation of those injured during the Madhes movement.



Similarly, the UDMF has demanded allocation of budget for the construction of postal roads and the proposed East-West Railway in the Tarai region. The UDMF has also asked the government to provide budget for establishing universities in Tarai region and subsidies for importing chemical fertilizers and other agricultural equipments.



UDMF, which comprises Madhesi People´s Right Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D), (MPRF-R), Tarai-Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP), TMDP-Nepal and SP, have altogether 70 lawmakers between them.

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