Kathmandu, February 8:

Members of the Legislature-Parliament today said that the Terai unrest was the result of years of suppression of the Madhesis by the rulers.

Speaking during today’s special hour of the parliament session, they said from now on the country would respect aspirations of the Terai people. “The agitating Terai outfits should now come for talks, as Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has already addressed their demands,” UML MP Jhala Nath Khanal said.

He said that the Terai people had become aware about their rights for the first time, compelling the state to address their demands.

Krishna Bahadur Mahara of the CPN-Maoist said the Terai movement was the result of the rulers’ failure to respect the sentiments of the Madhesis. He added that his party had agreed with the Seven-Party Alliance to address the demands of the Terai people.

NC-D MP Bijaya Kumar Gachhedar, however, said that the latest address of the PM could not meet the demands of the Terai people. He demanded that the state recognise those killed during the Terai unrest as martyrs. He also asked the government to provide adequate compensation to the family of those killed during the unrest. Ram Baran Yadav of NC urged the agitating Terai outfits to come for talks, “as 90 per cent their demands have been met”.

Stating that more people lost their lives during the Terai agitation than in Jana Andolan-II, Pashupati SJB Rana of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party asked the government to compensate the family of those killed and provide medical support to those injured during the movement. “If the Seven-Party Alliance and the Maoists want to be all-in-all and do not give space for others it will create explosion,” Rana warned.

Jana Morcha Nepal’s MP Lilamani Pokhrel said only proportional representation system could resolve the multiple problems facing the nation at present.

MP Rajendra Mahato urged the government to implement its words honestly. Kaman Singh Lama of the Nepal Workers and Peasants’ Party asked the Speaker to appoint translators, as he “cannot understand Maithili and Hindi being spoken by some MPs in the parliament”.

In today’s session, Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat tabled the copy of the PM’s address.