Kathmandu, August 15

Chairman of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Upendra Yadav today accused the leaders of major political parties saying that province no 2, extending from Parsa to Saptari, was carved in a manner that would not allow it to be economically sustainable.

“The Pradesh cannot sustain by selling paddy and receiving donations from Janaki Temple,” Yadav commented, while addressing an interaction organised at Reporters Club here today.

He claimed that secularism could never be replaced by religious freedom as the two terms had differences in meanings. “A nation must remain neutral on religious activities and therefore Nepal should be a secular country,” he added.

Yadav charged that some rowdy youths were deployed to incite communal violence in the Madhesi and indigenous people’s movement demanding their rights. “We suspect some ploy has been designed to suppress our movement by inciting communal violence,” he said. He added that the arrest of dozens of party cadres who were peacefully requesting the people to support their programme was sheer violation of democratic values.

He said some people were deployed to share negative messages against the movement of Madhesi and indigenous people in the social networks.

Yadav said his party had been struggling within and outside the Constituent Assembly to ensure the rights of indigenous people. “The draft constitution is regressive compared to the Interim Constitution,” he added.

He clarified that the movement was not intended to target any individual community as it was a fight against discrimination and exclusion of disadvantaged groups.

Yadav demanded that the draft constitution be annulled and another draft be rewritten with the spirit of the Interim Constitution by upholding the past agreements. He said all the rights ensured by the Interim Constitution were scrapped, which had compelled the Madhesi and Janajati forces to resort to struggle.

Issuing a press statement here today, Yadav raised serious objection to the dissemination of false statements in some media and social networks by some sponsored users to incite communal hatred. He maintained that his party fully supported the ongoing movements.