Rautahat, September 9

Former chairperson of the Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities Raj Kumar Lekhi has reiterated his stance on identity-based federalism, warning that failure on the part of political parties to ensure the same might trigger an armed uprising in the Madhes.

Speaking at a press meet organised by Tharu Kalyankari Sabha in Chandranigahapur of Rautahat today, Lekhi argued, “There will be no option for the Madhes other than to take up arms if the parties bring a statute bypassing all the Madhesi, Muslim, Tharu and other indigenous nationalities that make up 70 per cent of the total population.”

Lekhi, further criticised the chiefs of the major political parties and accused them of plotting against the rights of 70 per cent of Nepali citizens.

“Sushil Koirala, Pushpa Kamal Dahal and KP Oli are the neo tyrants without the crown of the erstwhile monarch. They are all set to shove the country into a dangerous civil war by imposing their rash decisions over the entire nation,” argued the Tharu leader.

Lekhi also urged the government to honour all the past agreement reached with Madhes and Madhesi leaders. Identifying state demarcation and nomenclature on the basis of ethnic identity as common agenda of the Tharus and the Madhes-based parties, the Tharu leader appealed to the ruling parties to do the needful in order to address the legitimate demands of dissatisfied communities. He urged the ruling parties to produce a constitution that gives the country, long mired in transition, a safe exit.