Kathmandu, June 6

Federal Alliance is starting an almost one month long relay hunger strike in Kathmandu and other parts of the country from tomorrow.

Chair of Federal Alliance Upendra Yadav said their agitation, which would be the extreme form of peaceful protest would continue for over a month. The agitating forces would sit on relay hunger strike at Khula Manch.

He said the alliance prepared the protest programme keeping in mind the rainy season where large processions across the country might not be possible.

Talking to The Himalayan Times, Yadav said the alliance partners were encouraged by the participation of supporters in their Kathmandu-centred agitation.

“Our Kathmandu-centric movement has given the message to the public that in the fight for autonomy and identity, Madhesis are not alone and all the marginalised communities, including Janajatis and Khas were united,” he added.

He said their Kathmandu-centric movement was a real unity movement which would bind all the communities of the country. This is the first attempt to truly unify the country, he added.

Yadav said the government was not serious about holding dialogue with the agitating forces.

“We got the government’s invite for talks after 10 days and we find that the government has not even recognised our agitation.

In the letter, the government only stated ‘unrest in the Tarai,” he said, and added that the government’s assertions that it had amended the constitution to fulfil their demands, which also addressed the agitating forces concerns regarding citizenship, proportional inclusion and representation were also misleading.

“If the government thinks that the agitating forces’ demands have already been fulfilled, then why does it invite us for talks?” he wondered.