'Federalism not agenda of Big III'

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Dan Bahadur Chaudhari, General Secretary, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (Nepal) said revival of the Constituent Assembly was the best way to resolve political problems.

Addressing an interaction organised by Valley Committee of DKKA (Dhanuk, Kurmi, Kewat and Amat) Federation, Chaudhari accused Nepali Congress and UML for failure of the CA.

“The NC and UML caused rift among Madhesis, Tharus and Muslims in the past, but in the run-up-to May 27, these communities united. Indigenous nationalities also formed an alliance with Madhesis. So, now the NC and UML feel defeated,” Chaudhari said. He maintained that single identity based federalism alone would ensure the rights of marginalised communities. The DKKA and other Madhesi organisations, he said, should expose anti-federalist forces.

Khusi Lal Mandal, leaders of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi), however, stressed on fresh CA elections as the only viable option. “If CA is revived, a handful of leaders from major parties, including those who lost the 2008 elections, will dictate the terms of the constitution,” he argued.

It is the Madhesi forces, Mandal added, that revived the demand of federalism and CA. “These two issues are neither the demands of UCPN-M, NC or UML,” he said. He said true federalism alone will ensure development of Madhes.

Yogendra Prasad Kurmi, a member of the Teachers’ Commission said federalist forces were not advocating ethnic federalism. Yet, anti-federalists were spreading rumours about the same. “NC and UML are the main obstacles to empowerment of Madhesis,” he added.

Other speakers said the combined population of DKKA was 10 lakh and if such castes organised themselves they could easily ensure proportional representation in the next elections. Only half a dozen DKKA leaders were represented in dissolved CA, three times less than the ratio of its combined population.