Rajbiraj, August 11

At a time when major political parties, including Unified CPN-Maoist have ratified a six-state federal model with demarcation, a UCPN-M leader today took exception to the parties’ decision, stating that attempts to compromise on autonomous Madhes province would not be acceptable.

Speaking at a press conference organised by Federation of Nepali Journalists, Saptari chapter here today, UCPN-M central leader Umesh Kumar Yadav sang out of tune with his party policy and declared a big thumbs down to the whip of his own party regarding the issue of Madhes.

The Maoist leader demanded that the Madhes province be expanded by incorporating the plains of the east too.

“In the first place, the current Madhes province has been chalked out without including the entire plains. On top of it, some so-called lawmakers

are now lobbying to tear away Saptari from the Madhes state to annex it to another state, which is condemnable,” said the leader, also warning of stern agitation on the face of attempts to sever Saptari from the Madhes state.

“Let alone annexing Saptari to the other state, we also want that even Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari be included in the current Madhes province,” he demanded.

Also, reiterating his stance on republicanism, federalism, secularism and the likes, the Maoist leader urged all and sundry to unite in order to preserve the gains achieved so far.

“If we want to see the country safe from any civil war or a similar kind of thing, then it’s high time we grant the people their rights without any discrimination,” he opined.