Kathmandu, September 16

Central Committee member of Unified CPN-Maoist Ram Kumar Sharma, resigned from the party opposing the party’s silence over the alleged repression by the state in Madhes and the party’s failure to bring the ruling and the protesting parties to the negotiating table.

Sharma told THT over phone from his home district Mahottari that UCPN-M, which fought a decade-long war against the government giving slogans of empowerment of the marginalised and Madhesis, had made a mistake by surrendering to the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML.

“Pushpa Kamal Dahal said if a new constitution was not framed soon, the gains made thus far would be lost. One may agree with him, but what stops him from condemning state repression in Madhes, why does he not sympathise with the families who have lost their kin in the protest? Why is he not taking any initiative to bring the ruling and protesting forces to the negotiating table?” Sharma wondered.

He said Dahal, who had interpreted right to self determination as right to secede, was now labelling the Madhesi people’s movement as secessionist or regressive movement.

“The new constitution will not give any right to the marginalised communities, and therefore, Madhesis, Janajatis, women and Dalits have no option but to start another movement,” he said and added that he would try to mobilise Madhesi Rastriya Mukti Morcha, a wing of UCPN-M, cadres for genuine cause. “If UCPN-M claims this front, I will organise people under the same front because that’s basically a Madhesi organisation,” he argued.

Sharma urged the Madhesi CA members of UCPN-M , NC and UML to boycott the constitution-making process. He said he would help intensify the ongoing agitation in Madhes without joining any party.

Sharma said the draft constitution did not honour past agreements signed with Madhesi forces, nor did it reflect true federal character.

“How can we accept this constitution that intends to keep the judiciary, security and tax system unitary?” he wondered.

Another CC member Ram Rijhan Yadav said he had gone to Dahal yesterday to tender his resignation from the party but Dahal refused to accept his resignation. “Some Madhesi members are thinking of tendering resignation en masse,” Yadav said without divulging details. CA member Prabhu Sah has already been boycotting the constitution making process.

Yadav said if UCPN-M was hell bent on promulgating the constitution, Madhesi leaders were also adamant about protecting the interests of Madhesi people.

“Our party should speak up against the killings and repression in the Tarai,” Yadav added.