While urging all sides to exercise restraint to avoid any untoward incident, the five-time prime minister termed the incident in Kailali on Monday as "criminal" and "brutal." Addressing a press conference at his residence in Budhanilkantha Tuesday afternoon, Deuba also asked the government to bring all those involved in killing seven police personnel, including a SSP and a two-year old minor, to justice.
Deuba, flanked by Tharu lawmakers from Kailai and Kanchanpur districts during the press conference, also vented ire against those labeling him as an anti-Tharu leader. "How can a person become anti-Tharu who took initiative to liberate Kamaiya. I am not against Tharu. This is totally false allegation," he said. "Tharu must be provided with rights. The areas that are predominantly Tharu must be part of Tharu autonomous region."
On the occasion, Deuba also argued that it was not practically possible to delineate the area from Nawalparasi to Kanchanpur as single Tharu province and he cannot by his sole effort help achieve this demand. "If all people are to be provided with separate province, we will have to create 100 to 250 provinces. It is not good to argue that one ethnic group cannot live with another ethnic group," he said.
Organizing a separate press conference, CPN-UML Vice Chairman Bhim Rawal alleged that Karnali incident was orchestrated to weaken Nepal's national unity and thwart the plan to promulgate new statute by fomenting communal discord.
Rawal said the protesters had attacked police personnel in a pre-planned manner with petrol, kerosene and domestic weapons such as spears and axe. He also demanded strong action against those involved in the attack and investigate the lapses on the part of security and administration officials.
Rawal, along with 15 other UML lawmakers from farwestern region, has appealed to Tharus and others to exercise restraint and desist from activities that affect unity, dignity and goodwill that subsist among people. All the lawmakers have also expressed commitment to ensure Tharu rights.
The lawmakers have maintained that achievements made through all the political movements in the past can be institutionalized only through the national unity. "We appeal to all patriots and all those who believe in democracy to promulgate the new statute without any delay to move in the path of establishing lasting peace and economic prosperity," the joint statement reads.
The joint statement was signed by lawmakers Karna Thapa, Garima Shah, Ganesh Thagunna, Prem Ale, Mohan Singh Rathaur, Gauri Oli, Man Prasad Khatri, Damodar Bhandari, Bharat Saud, Lal Bahadur Rawal, Afilal Okheda, Pemba Bhote Gurung, Basundhara Rokaya, Gyanu Gaire and Rewati Chaudhary.
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