Pokhara, January 16

Human Rights activist Damannath Dhungana today warned that the ongoing agitation in the plains could take a nasty turn if the government failed to address the issues raised by the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front promptly.

Speaking at an interaction organised by Human Rights Protection Forum Kaski in Pokhara, activist Dhungana urged the government to heed the issues and demands raised by the agitating Madhesi parties pronto.

“The unrest in the Tarai began due to the major parties’ arithmetical calculation of the two-third majority while promulgating the new constitution,” he added.

Dhungana further warned that failure to meet the demands of the agitating front would encourage the Madhes-based parties to opt for more extreme steps. Such situation could spell disaster for the country, he added.

“Much time has been wasted in the name of talks. If the government and leading political parties do not become serious about resolving the political and financial problems facing the country, the state will have to face further calamity,” he warned.

At the programme, another human rights activist Padam Ratna Tuladhar stressed the need to include people from all castes and ethnic communities in the new constitution for inclusiveness and ethnic harmony.

“If the parties had incorporated the voices of all the protesting parties and groups in the new statute, it would not have had to face any agitation,” Tuladhar said.