Kathmandu, March 11

Leaders of the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front today held talks with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli for the first time after the front withdrew its extreme forms of protest, including border blockade.

In the morning the UDMF had submitted a seven-point memorandum to the prime minister urging the government to address their demands before mid-April.

According to Co-chair of Sadbhawana Party Laxman Lal Karna, the PM assured the front leaders that the government would bear the treatment expenses of those injured during protests.

PM Oli told the UDMF leaders that the Cabinet would take a decision within a few days to bear the treatment expenses of the injured protesters.

Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Agni Prasad Kharel was told to give his suggestions on the UDMF’s demand to withdraw cases against its cadres and to form a judicial probe committee to investigate into protest related deaths within a day or two, according to Karna.

Karna said they did not discuss political issues today but the PM told them at the end of the meeting that he had formed a political committee under Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa and the UDMF should join it to find solution to the issues of provincial boundaries.

“We did not have enough time to discuss these issues but we asked the prime minister whether the prominent leaders of the major parties and the Nepali Congress would join the Thapa led committee,” Karna added.

Karna said Kharel requested him to give suggestions on the formation of a judicial probe committee and withdrawal of cases but he told him that he could only give informal suggestions to him on those issues.

Prime Minister Oli’s Press Adviser Pramod Dahal said the PM got details of treatment expenses and since the government had already decided to bear the treatment expenses incurred by the injured people, Cabinet would soon take a decision to provide money spent on the treatment of the injured people.

“As far as the withdrawal of cases and formation of judicial probe committee were concerned, the PM sought suggestions from the Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, as these issues were related to law,” Dahal said and added that the government was conscious that its action should not violate any law else the court might not accept the government’s action.

According to Dahal, the PM told UDMF leaders that once these issues were resolved in a few days both sides could focus on political issues.

UDMF leaders Karna, Manish Kumar Suman, Mahantha Thakur, Hridayesh Tripathi, Sarvendranath Shukla, Ram Naresh Ray and Sharat Singh Bhandari were also present in the meeting.