Rautahat, October 8

Nepal-India Friendship Association Rautahat today took out a rally in the district headquarters Gaur, expressing solidarity with the ongoing Madhes agitation and the blockade.

Representatives of various Madhes-based political parties and local civil societies participated in The rally led by the association district working committee Chairperson Ranadhir Kumar Singh took a round of the town before reaching Gaur Baiganiya on the border to show support for the ongoing sit-in.

During the rally, participants chanted slogans hailing the ‘unique’ relationship between the two neighbouring countries and sought an end to police suppression and meaningful talks between the front and the government. They also chanted slogans welcoming India.

Singh described the rally organised by the association as compulsion. “As the government paid no heed to resolve the issues even two months after the strike started, we had no option,” he argued.

Accusing the government and the major parties — Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Unified CPN Maoist — of spoiling the democratic image of India at the international level, Singh argued that such an act would be detrimental to Nepal itself.