Speaking at a protest assembly organised by Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) in Biratnagar on Monday, Madhesi leaders demanded that the discriminating provisions be removed from the constitution draft while including the voices of Madhesi.

Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal (SSFN) Chairman Upendra Yadav said that the draft constitution is regressive as it has obscured Madhesi issues, including federal democratic norms, inclusion, proportional system and identity. “If the constitution is forcefully drafted, we will not allow to implement those laws in Madhes.

A draft with no amendment sto the discriminatory provisions will be similar to the past constitutions,” said Yadav.

Pointing to Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, one of the signatories to the 16-point deal forged among four major parties on June 8, Chairman Yadav said, “The dramatic agreement between Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) has been aided by the fourth party, making it three-and-a-quarter’s alliance.”

Speaking at the programme, Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato claimed the draft constitution had been rejected by the people and the new constitution based on such draft would not be implemented in Madhes.

He stressed the need to bring out a draft constitution based on past agreements and Interim Constitution by complying with the state demarcation and naming of provinces.

Mahato also vented his ire at Gachhadar saying, “Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar has betrayed the Madhesi community. Such a betrayer will not be pardoned by Madhes.”

Senior Vice-chairman of Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party Brishesh Chandra Lal said the leaders of four parties that signed 16-point deal are “the heir to the Shah dynasty”.

Another senior Sadbhawana Party leader Ram Naresh Raya vowed to continue their protest programmes to uproot the monopoly of the four parties. He also accused UCPN (M) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Gachhadar of betraying the Madhesi and indigenous people.

Bhattarai urges them to respect sovereignty, territorial integrity

Chairman of the CA’s Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee and former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai has urged Madhes-based leaders and activists to keep the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country in mind while presenting their views.

At an interaction with Madhesi lawmakers, leaders and rights activists in the Capital on Monday, Bhattarai urged them not to make statements driven by “sentiments and excitement” against sovereignty, territorial integrity and the spirit of the constitution. He also urged the regional leaders to take leadership of the entire Nepal.

Several Madhes-based parties and leaders have been voicing their differences over the constitution draft particularly on the delineation of provinces, citizenship and inclusiveness.

“Madhesis are Nepalis and you have to exhibit political acumen that Madhesis too can lead the hills people. If we can spread this spirit across the nation, it will shorten the political transition,” he said, adding the Constituent Assembly committee was also committed that the states should be independent under a unified Nepal.

Several leaders of the Tarai parties made radical demands during the interaction. “If you cannot give a province, we will fight for a separate state,” said Nepali Congress lawmaker Amresh Kumar Singh.

Dipendra Jha, a Madhesi rights activist, said that the provision of Nepali origin should be removed from the draft. Former Ambassador Bijaya Kant Karna charged that the statute draft perpetuates the ethnic state created by Prithvi Narayan Shah, the founder of modern Nepal, where Hinduism and “Hill sentiment” matter the most.

“We will not accept a constitution without the delineation of states,” said Jitendra Dev of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik, demanding an amendment to the citizenship provision. Bhattarai responded that an understanding had been reached to promulgate the new constitution after marking the states.

He said the CA was preparing to demarcate the provinces, honouring the suggestions received during the public consultation campaign. “Political leaders’ preparations give me a feeling that the constitution will have the state borders,” said Bhattarai. “There has also been an agreement to amend the discriminatory and vague provisions on citizenship. A decision will be made soon.”

Lawmakers Jitendra Dev, Ram Janam Chaudhari, Chandra Mohan Yadav, Baijnath Chaudhari, Ranju Kumari Jha, Amresh Singh, Ram Kumar Sharma and rights activists Bijaya Kanta Karna, Tula Narayan Shah, Dipendra Jha, Surendra Mahato, Binaya Panjiyar and Sweta Deepti attended the interaction.