Youth activists have launchhed a campaign to send text messages to all parliamentarians every day in order to pressurise them into resolving the current crisis in the country.

The Association of Youth Organisations Nepal, which is a national network of youth-led social organisations, began the innovative campaign on Tuesday. On the day, AYON said it sent two text messages each to all 597 lawmakers asking them to resolve the ongoing Madhes agitation and fuel shortage.

“The country is going through two major problems–violent struggle against the state in Tarai and scarcity of fuel due to border blockade,” AYON President Brabim Kumar KC said, “However, we feel that enough has not been done from our leaders to resolve them.” He also expressed hope that the campaign will create an atmosphere to hold the lawmakers accountable to suffering of the people.

A large section of Madhesi people in Tarai have been protesting against the new constitution for almost three months. Additionally, India imposed a restriction on cargo movement into Nepal after the constitution was promulgated on September 20, causing shortages of fossil fuel, medicines, cooking gas and other daily essentials.

AYON said it has started soliciting messages from public through social media to be delivered to lawmakers. “We will collect messages and send them to parliamentarians,” KC said. “If we do not get positive reaction from the leaders, there might come a time when we make public the mobile numbers of leaders so that people can individually express their views.”