The MPRF had forged working alliance with the Laxman Tharu-led TJSC, an ethnic body of Tharus, on January 27 to press the government for various demands including single autonomous Madhes state with multiple sub-states in the southern plain of the country. Yadav and Tharu had signed a six-point deal to this effect. [break]
Talking to myrepublica.com over phone, Tharu said there is no possibility of working together with the MPRF now as the latter went against the spirit of the six-point agreement. "We are not in a position to launch any joint programs immediately as the MPRF leaders have unilaterally spread rumors that TJSC agreed for single Madhes state in the Tarai," he said.
He further said various Tharu bodies including TJSC have decided to launch their own protests to press the government to meet their demands. "We will not join their (MPRF) protests," he said.
The MPRF on Thursday announced three-week protests in the Tarai starting March 18 to pile pressure on the government to meet their demands including single Madhes state across the Tarai.
Yadav, however, denied that their alliance with TJSC was broken. "We have agreed to support their movement and they have in return agreed to back our movement," he said. "We are currently doing homework to settle our differences."
MPRF leaders admit they had an expectation that the joint protests of the MPRF and TJSC would draw big support from both Madhesi and indigenous Tharus, thereby making the agitation a big success. "Now there is a slim chance that Tharus will join our protests," said a MPRF leader, asking to be unnamed.
Party insiders said the MPRF had another consideration as well to forge alliance with TJSC. The party expected to garner support from Tharus, whose support the MPRF lost substantially after Bijya Kumar Gachchhadar, only senior Tharu leader in the MPRF, formed another party -- Madhesi People´s Rights Forum -Democratic (MPRF-D) -- in May last year.
Among others, the MPRF and TJSC in the six-point agreement had vowed to continue their struggles until there was a guarantee of single province stretching from Jhapa in the east to Kanchanpur in the west.
The two parties then argued that CA Committee on State Restructuring proposed two states in southern plain as a part of conspiracy to divide Madhes and Tharuhat territory and perpetuate exploitation.
Tharu Kalyankarini Sabha (TKS) General Secretary Raj Kumar Lekhi argues Tharus are not in favor of forming an alliance with Madhesi parties to meet their demands as the latter´s demand for single federal state in southern plain goes against Tharu communities´ demand for multiple states in the region.
Tharu leaders say Laxman could have broken ties with MPRF as other Tharu organizations and his own cadres did not back him for joint protests with the MPRF.
Tharu was the chairman of Tharuhat Autonomous State Council (TASC), a body fighting for the cause of indigenous Tharus living in Tarai, when he inked the agreement with the MPRF. He was forced to resign from the post as his deal with MPRF incited sharp differences within the body.
Then Vice President Yogendra Chaudhary currently heads the TASC.
Tharu, who also held the portfolio of Chairman of Federal Democratic Front, was made to quit to the post following the agreement with the MPRF. The front, which has two members in the 601-member CA, ousted him alleging that he backed the MPRF´s demand for a single Madhes state.
koshraj@myrepublica.com
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