RAJBIRAJ: Gosain Mandal (84) of Maleth in Rajbiraj Municipality-9, Saptari district, who lost his eldest son Pitambar Mandal nearly two years ago to the Madhesi movement has lost patience and hope.

The reason behind this disappointment is unfulfilled commitment made by various political leaders and candidates to ensure jobs and education for the victims' families.

Five persons including Pitambar Mandal had lost their lives and over a dozen were injured when police opened fire at a venue where the then CPN-UML was organising a programme as per its Mechi-Mahakali campaign in defiance of Madhes-based parties, on March 6 last year.

Although political leaders and candidates frequently visited the bereaved families making commitment of ensuring jobs and education as compensation to the victims’ families, no promises have been fulfilled yet, lamented Pitambar's father.

Widowed Mandal expressed that it grieved him when he thought about the future of his grandchildren. His youngest son Sudambar has been desperately running rickshaw after finding no other way to earn living. Mandal said, "Even then it is difficult to manage the expenses required for schooling Sudambar's two daughters and a son."

On the other hand, Mandal's fatherless grandsons — Bhola and Dashratha — had to give up their studies and do hard labour instead. Mandal expressed his sorrow in having to witness this.

Exactly one year after the tragic incident occurred, Minister for Agriculture and Land Management of Province 2, Shailendra Prasad Sah had paid homage to each family member of martyrs to the Madhesi movement. The Minister had said that meeting of the Council of Ministers had already decided to find employment for one person from the family of each martyr. He had urged them to have patience and wait until the implementation of the policy.

The Minister who is also the central member of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal had said, “The Madhesi leaders came to power because of the martyrs and therefore we must prioritise their issues.”

But how long can patience and hope sustain for family members, who lost someone they loved, is a question with no easy answer.