KATHMANDU: Amid the “mad scramble” of various ethnic groups and political parties, specially by the UCPN-Maoist, to unilaterally declare republican states on ethnic line, a Khas majority has pushed the demand for a separate state along with its exclusive identity.

Speakers at a programme organised by Nepal National Khas Students’ Society in the capital today criticised the political parties for the latter’s indifference to the notion of separate state for Khas community, which, they claimed, accounts for over eight million people in the country.

Central member of Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum Arjun Thapa said, “Ethnic Bhote and Sherpa, with only 40,000 and 80,000 population, respectively, have been huffing and puffing for separate states. While the political parties dampened the spirit of the one-fourth Khas population, by not carving out a state for them.”

He said no political party was empowered to unilaterally declare republican states. “It is unfortunate to declare states without taking al the parties into confidence, by jeopardising the existence of the Constituent Assembly,” said Thapa.

The speakers also underlined the need for declaring a “Khasan state”, albeit to counter the political parties’ arbitrariness and to pressurise the CA.

Hasta Bahadur Bishwokarma, president, Marginalised Dalit Ethnic Liberation Society, demanded that political parties revoke their decision to declare autonomous states for the sake of respecting the CA. “It requires the CA to carve out states, taking into account the topographical stature, for the sake of delivering justice to neglected groups,” he stated.

Yuvaraj Karki, president, Khas Chhetry Unity Society, presented a working paper, which necessitated a separate Khas state to preserve the identity of Khas people.

“Political parties are restraining the development of the nation by not agreeing on a separate identity of Khas population,” reads the paper.