Kathmandu, September 10

The United Democratic Madhesi Front today rejected three major parties’ talks offer, saying Big III were still not committed to honouring the past pacts, particularly the 22-point and eight-point agreements signed with Madhesi forces.

Three major parties sent invite for talks to the protesting parties yesterday after they earlier rejected offer for talks by the prime minister twice.

Issuing a press release here today, the UDMF stated that it had earlier asked the government to improve security situation in Tarai districts but instead the situation had deteriorated, particularly in Parsa, Bara, Saptari and Mahottari due to the killing of protesters.

The front stated that it was committed to resolving issues through dialogue and promulgating a new constitution through the Constituent Assembly, adding that pausing the constitution-making process for holding talks between the three major parties/government and the protesting forces would not adversely affect the constitution-writing process.

The release was jointly signed by the Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Chairperson Upendra Yadav, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party Chair Mahantha Thakur, Sadbhawana Party Chair Rajendra Mahato and Tarai Madhes Sadbhawana Party-Nepal Chair Mahendra Ray Yadav.

UDMF issued the release after its meeting in Bhairahawa today.

• READ ALSO: UCPN-M to seek halt to CA process for dialogue

Mahato said over phone that the UDMF told the three parties that talks could not happen in the present situation. “The government is not doing anything to hold dialogue with the protesting forces,” he said and added that the government was giving false impression to the public that it was serious about holding dialogue with the protesting forces.

“We cannot sit for talks amid security agencies’ repression. If the government or the three parties want to hold dialogue with the agitating forces, they must commit that they would honour the past pacts,” he added.

Terming the three parties’ talks offer as diktat, Mahato said the protesting parties would not accept such a decree.

He said if the government and the major parties were serious about resolving the current problems then they should seek political solutions to the political problems. “These parties must know that the very people who voted for them in the last Constituent Assembly are coming to the streets to protest their monopoly,” Mahato said and added that the people of Madhes were trying to fight a final battle to win their rights.

He said the UDMF leaders agreed in principle to impose blockade in order to force the government to address the concerns of Madhesis and Tharu communities.

General Secretary of TMDP Sarvendranath Shukla said front leaders agreed in principle to impose blockade, but they would work out their plan in the next meeting. “We came to the conclusion that the government is not in favour of resolving the issues through dialogue and it is pushing the protesting parties to prolong their agitation so we also need to change our strategy,” Shukla added.