Rautahat, August 28

As the general strike enforced by Unified Democratic Madhesi Front enters 14th day today, it continues to affect normal life in Rautahat.

Bijaya Kishor Jha, Chairperson of Elderly Citizens Association chairperson in Rautahat, bemoaned the tug of war between the government and agitators, as well as its effects on the common public. “While the agitators are adamant on their demand for their rights and have brought life to a standstill by imposing indefinite strike, the state has been negligent about the scenario and seems to have left the people here to fend for themselves,” said Jha.

He said the government should do the needful so that the prolonged agitation came to an end. “Educational institutions, banks, industries, factories and transportation have been shut for days. It’s high time that the government facilitates the end to the current crisis,” Jha added.

Body of Raj Kishor Thakur, who died in police firing on Tuesday, has been lying in the district hospital for the past four days. According to UDMF coordinator Babulal Sah, the body would not be received unless their demands were met. Earlier, the front had put forward a five-point demand as a precondition to receive the body.

Their demands include martyr status to Thakur, construction of a monument at the incident site and compensation to his family.

Billboard torched

RAJBIRAJ: Youths aligned to the United Democratic Madhesi Front torched a billboard at the contact office of CPN-UML Constituent Assembly member Ranju Thakur in Rajbiraj, Saptari, on Friday.

According to locals, the agitators set the board ablaze in Rajdevi Chowk. Thakur had set up office here just a few months back. He is also  the president of the district-based social committee for women, children and elderly.

The youths chanted slogans accusing Thakur of being against Madhes and sought mass resignation of the Madhesi CA members aligned to Nepali Congress, UML and Unified CPN-Maoist.