- Madhesi leaders warn of fresh stir if their "Madhesi" identity is weakened
KATHMANDU, March 14: Five ruling and two opposition parties on Saturday mandated Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to explore a solution to Tharu problem in a way it is acceptable to both Madhesi and Tharu communities. [break]
In a meeting called by the PM at his residence, parties entrusted the PM to consult both the sides and convince them for statute amendment, said Nepali Congress Spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC, coming out of the meeting.
The parties in the meeting agreed to mention Tarai-Madhes or Madhes-Tarai in place of Madhes in the interim constitution to respect aspirations of both the communities, according to KC.
Tarai Madhes Democratic Party and Madhesi People’s Rights Forum, however, expressed their reservation over the concept of replacing the term Madhes with something else. They claimed it was a term they included in the statute only after a long struggle and can´t compromise with anything less. According to a participant at the meeting, MPRF, TMDP and Nepal Sadbhavana Party termed the Tharu movement as a "ploy" against the rights Madhesi people got through Madhes movement.
They also warned of launching agitation in Madhes if their Madhesi identity is weakened, or attempts are made to weaken their identity. Tharus have been demanding that the first amendment in the Interim Constitution that recognized 20 districts in the Tarai as "Madhes" should be annulled and recently promulgated ordinance for making government services inclusive be withdrawn. MPRF, TMDP and SP take the statute amendment as their achievement.
JP Gupta and Tilak Rawal from MPRF; Hridayesh Tripathi from TMDP; Rajendra Mahato from SP; Jhala Nath Khanal, Ishwar Pokharel and Bishnu Poudel from CPN-UML; KC and Prakash Sharan Mahat from Nepali Congress; Ganesh Sah from CPN-United; PM Dahal, Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Janardan Sharma from Unified CPN-Maoist participated in the meeting.
ghanashyam@myrepublica.com
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