The TMDP’s one month deadline given to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to implement its 13-point demand expired Wednesday. And, the party is holding its Central Work Performance Committee’s meeting Thursday to announce agitation, beginning with mild ones, accusing the government of the failure to fulfill the party’s demands.
Among the demands, the party has asked that the government implement the eight-point agreement signed by government and United Madhes Front on February 28 this year, return property captured by the Maoists, dissolve state restructuring ministry and conduct fresh census for the purpose of a just and objective structuring of the state. The party has also demanded group entry of various communities including Madhesis in national army and proportional participation of Madhesis in all the organs of the state.
“Since the government did not respond to our 13-point demand that we handed them over a month ago, we are compelled to announce programs of struggle now,” said Hridayesh Tripathi, of TMDP. He said the party will decide Thursday what sort of the programs they would be.
In the initial phase, the party leaders are thinking of boycotting the parliament and organizing rallies. In the next phase, the party will hold comprehensive dialogue with other Madhes-based parties to launch a collective movement in Tarai, party leaders said.
If the TMDP joins Nepali Congress in boycotting the parliament meeting, entire parliamentary process will be disrupted. And, if the party goes to Tarai with fresh protest programs, other Madhes-based parties will be under tremendous pressure to quit the government to catch anti-government sentiment of Madhesi people. Madhesi People’s Rights Forum is already under intense pressure to quit the government. “But I think it won´t be wise to quit the government because fight for Madhesi cause will be easy from within the government rather than from the street,” said Rajendra Mahato, who leads a Madhes-based party, Sadbhavana Party. The party is part of the ruling coalition.
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