The government and the major political parties should invite the agitating groups for a negotiated settlement of the issues related to Pradesh boundaries

Informing yesterday’s meeting of the Legislature-Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam said that at least 21 people, including SSP Laxman Neupane and 17 other policemen, were killed and dozens others injured when the demonstrators armed with domestic weapons at Kailali’s Tikapur attacked the security personnel guarding the government facilities. However, the Chief District Officer later put the number of casualties to eight. Whatever, the death toll could go up as many policemen and agitators undergoing treatment at local hospital and outside are said to be injured, some seriously. The Home Minister informed that the agitators, who are demanding that Kailali district should be included in the Pradesh No-5, not in the integrated Pradesh No-7 as has now been proposed, came in droves from villages carrying domestic weapons like machetes, khukuris, swords, sickles, spears and lathis and attacked the policemen unprovoked. An all-party meeting held on Sunday had decided to conduct their agitation peacefully. Gautam said the agitators attacked the police personnel when SSP Neupane reached them and reportedly asked them to lay down their weapons.

After the situation turned violent a national security committee headed by the Home Minister decided to allow the concerned chief district officers to deploy the Nepali Army to bring the situation under control. The committee has identified Kailali, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Saptari and Rupandehi as riot-prone districts and all the security wings have been kept on high alert to foil any untoward incidents and protect the lives of the people and private and government facilities. The Tharus in Kailali and other districts in the Tarai are in agitation protesting the delineation of the boundaries of the previously proposed six Pradeshes and the revised seven Pradeshes. A revised constitution Bill has been tabled in the Constituent Assembly and theoretical discussions on the Bill has been fixed for three days beginning Wednesday. The leaders have said that there is still room for the amendments to the proposed boundaries of the Pradeshes. PM Sushil Koirala, in a statement issued on Sunday night, has also appealed to the disgruntled groups to take part in the constitution-making process and seek a negotiated settlement of their grievances.

The Tharus in Kailali are dissatisfied with the parties’ decision to include this Tharu majority Tarai district in the Pradesh No-7. They want to be part of the Pradesh No-5 that stretches from Nawalparasi in the east and Bardiya in the west without including Magar dominant hill districts in Lumbini and Rapti Zones. The government has decided to deploy the Nepali Army to bring the violent situation in these plain districts under control. While it is the duty of the government, or the state, to safeguard the life and property of the people, the political leadership should also show flexibility to the extent possible to address the agitators’ concerns. The government and the major political parties should invite the agitating groups for a negotiated settlement of the issues related to Pradesh boundaries. People’s desire of getting a federal constitution will not materialise if violence continues unabated.

Positive signs

Of late, since the promulgation of constitution appeared to be drawing near, various interest groups have been pushing their various demands by taking to the streets. The main piece of their action has been bandhs, nationwide, region-wise or district-wise. The bandh organizers claim that the people have observed bandhs, but if anyone tries to defy the bandh and starts normal business activities, such as taking out their vehicles to the streets, opening their businesses, and opening schools and colleges, the bandh organizers resort to violence and vandalism. Bandhs, imposed by the use of force and violence, go against democratic culture and against fundamental rights of citizens.

If the general people were given a choice, they would not go with the bandh call. That is why there is no relation between the success of a bandh and public support for it. This time around, some positive signs are emerging – that people from various walks of life have been coming out on the streets to defy the bandhs risking encounters with the bandh enforcers or taking out peace rallies against the bandh culture. Whether it is in the hills or in the Tarai areas where Tharus are agitating or in the various places where the Madhes-based parties are agitating.