Issuing a joint statement on Wednesday, Maoist Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa demanded the sacking of Bhandari from the cabinet.[break]
"The unexpected remark about announcing a separate state of the 22 districts of the Tarai has shocked and enraged patriots. Can it not be that the statement was made under a Sikkimization grand design to surrender the country, especially the Tarai, to India?" reads the statement signed by Baidya and Thapa.
Similarly, Nepali Congress (NC) leaders, during their meeting with the prime minister on Wednesday evening, raised the controversial statement of the defense minister and demanded action against him. "It is the height of irresponsibility on the party of someone who holds a portfolio such as defense," sources quoted the NC leaders as telling the prime minister.
Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) Chairman Upendra Yadav also took strong exception to Bhandari´s remarks and demanded his resignation.
"Madhesis are patriots but Bhandari´s remark has made them look like separatists," Yadav told Republica, adding that the prime minister must ask Bhandari to step down.
Bhandari, during a function in the capital, had said that nothing can prevent the 22 districts of the Tarai from seceding if the state continued to be indifferent to their concerns.
Meanwhile, the Madhes-based parties stated that they don´t have any political agenda to divide the country, and defended Bhadari, saying he was speaking in a different context.
Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Republican (MPRF-R) Chairman and Minister for Information and Communications Jaya Prakash Gupta said, "He only meant that the Madhes-based parties want to see an autonomous Madhes province with the territorial integrity of the country intact".
Similarly, Vice-chairman of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) and Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hridayesh Tripathi said that Bhandari had only pointed out the need for "democratization" of the Nepal Army (NA), and those against democratization of the army were speaking against him.
Rameshwor Raya Yadav, Senior Vice-chairman of MPRF-D, Chairman of Sadbhawana Party and Minister for Health and Population Rajendra Mahato and Tarai Madhes Democratic Party-Nepal (TMDP-N) leader Govinda Chaudhari said that Bhandari´s statement was misunderstood.
Media distorted my statement: Bhandari
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Bhandari on Wednesday stated that he is committed to national integrity and accused the media of distorting his statement. Issuing a press statement, Bhandari said: "I am committed to democracy and national integrity. I can´t imagine the disintegration of the country."
The defense minister argued that he only meant that the recruitment of Madhesi youths into the Nepal Army would further strengthen national unity. "I did not intend to incite disintegration ," he said.
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