The announcement of the protests comes after the MPRF and ethnic Tharu body inked a five-point deal. [break]
According to a joint press statement, the five-point deal envisages proportional inclusive representation of all groups in all organs of the concerned state, fully proportional election system, guarantee of the rights of indigenous nationalities as per the provision of ILO 169 and mention of Tharuhat Movement and Madhes movement in the preamble of the new constitution.
The MPRF and TJSC have vowed to continue their struggle until there was a guarantee of single province stretching from Jhapa in the east to Kanchapur in the west with rights to self determination. The CA Committee had proposed a total 14 federal states including two --Tharuhat and Madhes -- in the southern plains.
The MPRF and TJSC have also decided to submit a memorandum to the prime minister and CA chairman, hold interactions and take out rallies in various parts of the Tarai as a part of their first phase of protest programs.
Addressing a joint press conference organized in the capital, MPRF Co-Chairman Jaya Prakash Gupta said they have decided to fight jointly against the conspiracy to divide parts of Madhesh and Tharuhat territory in a way that it would render federalism meaningless. “We have decided to fight jointly to ensure our values and identity in the new federal structure of the country,” he said.
The MPRF and TJSC have said that Triyuga area of Udayapur, Kamala Khoch area of Sindhuli, Deukhuri and Ghorahi Tulasipur areas of Dang, Kankre Bihar and Latikoili of Surkhet and Chitwan and Nawalparasi districts should be included in their province.
TJSC Coordinator Laxman Tharu said, “We will be forced to launch stringent protests if the government does not pay heed to our demands,” he said. “We will not accept the federal states proposed by the CA committee in southern plains.”
The MPRF Chairman Upendra Yadav said the alliance of the MPRF and TJSC was forged to ensure provincial autonomy and provide equal rights to all people living in the region. He claimed that the proposal made by the CA committee was a conspiracy to perpetuate exploitation against people living in the Tarai.
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