Kathmandu, February 6

The much talked about meeting of United Democratic Madhesi Front could not be held today as the top leaders of the front remained busy with internal consultations.

Vice-chair of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party Hridayesh Tripathi said the UDMF would most probably hold its next meeting tomorrow or on Monday. He said the UDMF was thinking of lifting its blockade at the Birgunj-Raxaul border but it had not been able to do so as a formal meeting of front leaders could not be held for the last few days.

When asked if the UDMF would impose blockade again on the Birgunj-Raxaul border entry point before the front takes an official call on the matter in its next meeting, Tripathi replied in the negative.

He said the UDMF was considering a few proposals on new forms of protest and lifting of the border blockade was one option. Tripathi said it was necessary to lift the blockade for two reasons: Firstly, sugarcane farmers who are integral to the agitation are busy harvesting their crop; and secondly, people of Madhes are busy with weddings of family members, relatives and well-wishers.

Tripathi said SP Chair Rajendra Mahato’s statement that he would take the proposal to lift the blockade at Birgunj-Raxaul border entry point to the front’s next meeting.

The news report that Madhesi leaders had concluded in Patna that lifting the blockade would give confusing signals to cadres and the public was the reason behind removal of barricades from Miteri Bridge in Birgunj.

Tripathi, however, warned the government and the major parties not to think that lifting of the blockade at the Birgunj-Raxaul border was the end of Madhes agitation. He said UDMF would continue its agitation even in its changed form.

He said the government needed to win the confidence of the agitating forces by at least declaring those who were killed during the protest as martyrs, providing free treatment to injured people, forming a probe committee and withdrawing false cases against cadres of the agitating forces, in a day or two.

Another UDMF leader said on condition of anonymity that the residents of Birgunj and Raxaul had extended their support to the agitation and now that they have decided to remove obstructions on that border entry point, the UDMF should respect their decision.

Chair of Sadbhawana Party Rajendra Mahato had said a few days ago that the UDMF should block all the border entry points and if it could not do that, it should not blockade any border entry point.

Meanwhile Chair of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Upendra Yadav urged the residents of Kathmandu to intensify the agitation in the capital. He said the government should not be under the false impression that lifting of the border blockade marked the end of Madhes agitation.