Madhes-based parties have announced street protests against the proposed delineation, stating that the delineation will further boost discrimination against the marginalized communities and give rise to ethnic conflict.
Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) Chairman Mahantha Thakur said that the proposed delineation will give continuity to the traditional identity of the country as it does not address the demand for federatiion of the country based on multiple ethnic identities. "The proposed delineation undermines the previous agreement reached between the state and the revolutionaries during the Madhes movement," stated Thakur. "It also ignores the report of the State Restructuring Commission and appears as a plot against identity-based federalism," he added.
Likewise, Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) Co-chairman Rajendra Shrestha termed the proposal a package of petty interests of leaders of the four major parties. "This proposal has taken the country towards ethnic strife and armed conflict as none of the proposed provinces are based on identity," said Shrestha. "The CA Committee on State Restructuring had decided to restructure the country on the basis of five criteria of identity and four criteria of economic viability but the delineation proposed on Saturday has ignored this completely," he added.
Sadbhavana Party leader Laxman Lal Karna said that the proposed delineation has not only ignored the feelings of Madhesi and Janajati (indigenous communities) people but it is also against the Interim Constitution. "We cannot accept this unconstitutional move since Article 138 of the Interim Constitution clearly states that state restructuring would be carried out recognizing the desires of the indigenous people and people of the backward and other areas including Madhes," said Karna.
Besides the parties agitating against the 16-point deal between the four major parties, leaders of the UCPN (Maoist) and Madhesi People's Right Forum - Democratic (MPRF-D), who are signatories of the delineation proposal, have also expressed dissatisfaction.
"All CA members from the Tharu community will lead the people in street protests and we don't care whether our chairman has signed the proposal or not," said Ram Janam Chaudhary, general secretary of MPRF-D, the party chaired by Bijay Gachchhedar.
"The delineation proposal came in the interests of leaders rather than on the basis of identity and economic viability and we are against it," said UCPN (Maoist) Secretary Barshaman Pun.
"The delineation proposal did not address the aspirations and demands of indigenous people in Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari or Kailali and Kanchanpur. It also denied autonomy for the Karnali region," he added.
Meanwhile, Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Chairman Nagendra Kumal also said that the indigenous communities would not accept federalism that is not based on identity. "We don't want clusters of a given community being divided by the delineation but the proposal has ignored ethnic communities such as Tharu and Magar," said Kumal.
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