Rajbiraj, November 23:

India’s role will be crucial to curb criminal activities, which are ongoing in the name of Madhes agitation, in the Tarai, said speakers at a programme here today.

At an interaction with human rights activists including Kapil Shrestha, local intellectual

Dr Ashokananda Mishra said the government was not serious to tap the Indian help, which

can be significant, to control criminal activities here.

Senior Leftist leader Krishna Raj Barma said the Madhes can not achieve sustainable peace without India’s positive attitude. He also said the government and political parties should take a liberal approach to the Madhes agitation, which has political agenda too, said Barma.

Former vice-president of the Nepal University Teachers’ Association Amar Kant Jha said India van play a role as important as the one it had played to bring the Maoists to the talks to sort out the current Madhes problem.

Meanwhile, president of the Revolutionary Madhesi Morcha affiliated to the Janamorcha Nepal Ram Rijhan Yadav alleged that India was helping the armed Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha.

Speaking at an eastern regional meeting of the Morcha, he said “India has been supplying weapons to the JTMM to impede the hold of Leftist forces including the Maoists in the Tarai.”

The Janamorcha Nepal and RMM will jointly hold a rally against the ongoing murder, violence and abduction in Tarai, he said, adding that the party will also try to talk to JTMM-G coordinator Jay Krishna Goit and JTMM-J coordinator Jwala Singh.