Locals from Tarai districts enthusiastically joined the peaceful form of protest and formed the human chain along the 1155-km-long highway by joining hands from Mechi to Mahakali, claimed Renu Yadav, central vice-chair of the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal, which is one of the constituent parties of the UDMF.
"We organized this form of protest with a view to draw the attention of the world toward the demands of Madhesi and Tharu people and pile pressure on the government to address their demands," said Madhesi front leader Yadav.
People including children, youth, women and elderly from villages across the Tarai gathered along the postal highway from 1pm to 3 pm Thursday and held hands to form the human chain, according to Republica correspondents from Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Rautahat, and Parsa.
Rajendra Mahato, chairman of the Sadhbhawa Party, which is a constieunt party of the UDMF joined the human chain in Birgunj, the headquarters of Parsa district.
"This human chain is a symbol of unity and strength of Madhesi and Tharu communities," said Mahato. He further noted that human chain is also a show of people power against the government. Mahato claimed that around 1.5 million people from eastern to western Nepal joined the human chain.
Bal Kishor Yadav, a health worker who provided care and treatment to human chain participants in Bara and Parsa districts expressed surprise over the huge participation of people from all walks of life.
Meanwhile, the organizers have claimed that the 1155 km long human chain formed Thursday is the longest in the world. Earlier, the longest human chain recorded in human history was formed in 2010 was 1,050 km from Bangladesh.
LAHAN (Mithilesh Yadav/Republica)
Human chain against human-trafficking in no man’s land (photo f...
MAHOTTARI (Mahesh Kumar Das/Republica)
MAHOTTARI (Mahesh Kumar Das/Republica)
(Ritesh Tripathi from Birgunj, Suresh Yadav from Janakpur, Mahesh Kumar Das from Mahottari, Mithilesh Yadav from Siraha and Madan Thakur from Rautahat contributed to this report.)
