A statement issued jointly by 18 TJSC leaders said the fresh protests start Tuesday with torch rallies in “all Tharuhat districts”. They are also going to padlock all government offices in Tharuhat region Thursday. On April 29, TJSC activists led by Laxman Tharu are going to “seize control of all natural resources, including water, forests and land” in the Tharuhat region.
“TJSC has resumed its second round of protest, objecting to the ordinances, bills, acts and amendments that are against the fundamental rights of the indigenous peoples of Nepal,” said the statement.
Last month, the government had agreed to revoke an ordinance that enlisted indigenous Tharus under “Madhesi” category, besides agreeing to replace the terminology “Mades” with the term “Tarai” in the interim constitution.
In the statement, TJSC has demanded replacement of the term “Madhes” by “Tharuhat”. Its other demands include: providing constitutional guarantee of fully proportionate representation for all castes and ethnicities based on the census at all levels of state organs, and official recognition for Tharu language, among other things.
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