Oli tells Madhesi parties not to rake up communal sentiments

Nepalgunj, March 14

CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli has urged United Democratic Madhesi Front leaders not to rake up communal sentiments in the name of politics.

Addressing a mass meeting organised as part of its Mechi-Mahakali campaign in Nepalgunj today, Oli asked Madhes-based leaders do the needful to consolidate the feeling of nationality.

“On the one hand they have hindered the implementation of constitution all along, and on the other, they are involved in activities that prevent others from holding meetings and setting off bombs and the likes. How can anyone call such activities political?” asked the leader. “There are a few political parties who call themselves political forces but do not shy away from pushing the country into a civil war by damaging the very communal and social fabric existing for ages here,” he observed, scoffing at the UDMF’s attempts to boycott the UML in the Tarai.

Further, accusing the UDMF of engaging n politics at the cost of the lives of innocent people, the opposition party chief also called the front to carry out political activities in a peaceful way and stop being the puppet of ‘others’.

Regarding the statute, Oli defended it as a document that addresses the concerns of all living in the country. “As for the rumours about the bias towards certain communities in the constitution, they are nothing but fibs,” he observed, questioning the modus operandi of Madhes-based parties in terms of their participation in the proceedings of the House when it served their interests.

“They don’t have any qualms about participating in the voting process to select the prime minister despite the fact that such a process happens as per the provision laid down in the constitution, but once the votes are over they are back to their acts of blasphemy against the constitution,” Oli observed.

Senior UML leader Madhav Nepal and Vice-chairperson Bamdev Gautam also spoke on the occasion. While Nepal said the UML campaign has been a lesson to all not to take to politics of boycott; Gautam spoke for federal provinces by keeping all three regions therein. “Nepal requires provinces carved from north to south,” he said, calling the public to vote the party to power to take decisions on such matters.

Meanwhile, at a time when the UML was holding the mass meeting, there had been a brief clash between police and UDMF cadres at Gonana of Sonapur VDC in Banke. The clash had ensued after the UDMF tried to block the passage of the UML cadres to the programme venue. Two UDMF cadres were injured when police fired a few tear gas shells and two rounds in the air.

UDMF cadres torched a bus in Udharapur during the Banke bandh that the front had called in order to disrupt the UML’s slated meeting in Nepalgunj. No human casualty was reported.