Kathmandu, December 22

Responding to the government’s three-point roadmap to resolve the Tarai crisis, the United Democratic Madhesi Front today called the proposal abstract and lacking clarity and vision.

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The front said it would continue its agitation until its demands were addressed clearly.

Sadbhawana Party leader Manish Kumar Suman, however, said the front would continue talks with the government and major parties for solution.

A government’s talks team member and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Agni Kharel termed the front’s response irresponsible and added that it appeared that the front was unwilling to find a solution through talks.

A meeting of the UDMF held at the party headquarters of the Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal in Tinkune concluded that the proposal did not address the front’s 11-point demand in a constitutional way.

“It is clear from the government’s letter sent to the front yesterday that the government is not serious about the front’s demands or resolving the problem through talks,” stated a press release issued by UDMF after the meeting.

It claimed that the proposal to amend the new constitution to include proportional inclusion and delineation of parliamentary constituencies on the basis of population did not address the demands of the agitating Madhesi front.

It added that besides delineation of constituencies on the basis of population, guarantee of proportional inclusion of marginalised communities, including Madhesis, indigenous people, Tharus, Dalits, Muslims and women in all state organs and bodies, the UDMF demands included equal citizenship and linguistic rights.

The agitation will continue until these demands are met and the boundaries of the federal units are corrected, the UDMF added.

Minister Kharel said, “Unlike the front’s response, the government’s proposal is concrete, clear and objective and the government firmly believes that the solution will emerge from the government’s three-point roadmap.

Whether the talks will continue or not will depend on the front.The government has already made an offer.”

Sadbhawna Party leader Suman, however, said a day after the Cabinet endorsed the three-point roadmap, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli publicly said Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari would not be split while carving federal units.

If the PM makes such a statement, how can the front be assured that the government would resolve the issue of boundaries in three months,” Suman said.

The government, in its three-point roadmap, stated that it was committed to amending the constitution to ensure proportional inclusion and election constituencies on the basis of population, besides ensuring at least one constituency for each district.

An appropriate constitutional arrangement will be made through political consensus regarding boundaries of the federal units by incorporating the concerns of agitating parties. A mechanism will be formed to forge such consensus.

The mechanism will submit a report with its recommendations within three months and solution would be sought through talks on other demands, including that related to citizenship.