Govt not keen to address our demands: UDMF

Kathmandu, December 8

The leaders of the United Democratic Madhesi Front who are in New Delhi today called on India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and sought India’s moral support to address their concerns regarding the new constitution of Nepal.

It is learnt that they also sought Indian leaders’ unequivocal support to their ongoing protest and their demands so that they could be met.

Chairperson of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Upendra Yadav, Chairperson of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party Mahantha Thakur, Chairperson of Sadbhawana Party Rajendra Mahato and Chairperson of Tarai-Madhes Sadbhawana Party-Nepal Mahendra Ray Yadav held a meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar that lasted for almost an hour.

In the evening they also called on Doval.

During these meetings, UDMF leaders told the Indian officials that the Nepali government was not serious about holding talks with the UDMF and the three-point proposal mooted by the major parties did not meet their demands, Mahato told mediapersons following the meeting with S Jaishankar.

“The three-point proposal does not have any meaning. Our 11-point demands, including a review of demarcation of provinces presented by the UDMF should be addressed in a package or a consensus should be reached on their eight-point demand and the State Reconstruction Commission report of the first Constituent Assembly,” a source quoted Mahato as telling Indian officials.

Chanda Chaudhari of the Tarai Madhes Democratic Party, who is also accompanying UDMF leaders, confirmed that UDMF leaders met India’s foreign secretary and NSA Doval and apprised them of the Madhesi demands and their ongoing negotiation with the Government of Nepal.

THT’s attempts to contact the top UDMF leaders after their meeting with India’s NSA didn’t succeed.