Itahari, March 9:

Protesting the government’s decision to enlist them as Madhesis, three minority communities — Musahar, Jhagadh and Rajdhami — today launched protests, expressing their solidarity with the ongoing protests of the Tharus.

The Musahars and Jhagadhs organised a rally at Duhabi in Sunsari and chanted slogans against the government for defining them as Madhesis. Hundreds of Musahars and Jhagadhs from Sunsari and Morang participated in the rally. They said that the government had committed a mistake by defining them as Madhesis. The rally converged into a cornet meet at Janaandolan chowk.

Addressing the meet, the leaders of the communities said they would come up with strong programmes if their demands, including the Tharus’ demands, were not addressed.

Similarly, the Rajdhamis protested in Itahari and Jhumka, demanding that their identity be safeguarded in Tarai.

The Tharu leaders in the district expressed their solidarity with the protests of Rajdhamis, Jhagadhs and Musahars in Itahari, Jhuma and Duhabi.

The Tharus also organised a rally in Itahari this morning. Apart from the Tharus, different groups of indigenous people, including the Limbus and Khumbus, and even the Khas Chhetry Ekata Samaj joined the Tharus’ protests today.

The indefinite Tarai bandh affected normal life in Sunsari for the eighth consecutive day today. Industries, educational institutions and bazaars were shut and vehicles stayed off the roads. However, the bandh had no effect in Dharan.

Meanwhile, Sunsari chapter of Federation of Nepali Journalists today criticised

the Tharuhat activists for misbehaving with journalists Yadav Nepal and Durga Parajuli at Hasposa. Following the Sunsari FNJ’s concern, Miliram Choudhary, district leader of Tharuhat Joint Struggle Committee, met the journalists and promised not to repeat such acts.