The three major parties’ talks team urged the agitating parties to end blockade on the Nepal-India border and stop violent protests to create conducive environment for talks

Kathmandu, September 29

The three major parties’ talks team and some Madhes-based parties today continued talks but they were focused on creating conducive environment for entering into formal agendas. Both sides said they would do their bit to create environment for talks and may resume talks on Thursday.

The three-member talks team comprises Unified CPN-Maoist leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Nepali Congress leader Mahesh Acharya and CPN-UML leader Agni Prasad Kharel. Today it held separate talks with Tarai Madhes Democratic Party leaders, including its chairman Mahantha Thakur at the latter’s home in Bhaktapur.

After the meeting, Thakur left for Tarai to hold further consultations with other Madhesi leaders and participate in a mass meeting to be held in Gaur of Rautahat tomorrow. Thakur said he was likely to resume talks on Thursday after holding consultations with leaders of other agitating parties, according to Kharel. He added that Acharya held talks with Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav over phone yesterday.

TMDP leader Thakur said, “We have put forth our concerns. We hope we will enter into formal talks in a couple of days.”

The talks team also held separate talks with the Federal Democratic Alliance led by Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar at the MJF-D’s parliamentary party’s office in Singha Durbar.

“They have demanded that the government should withdraw lawsuits against the protesters, provide compensation to the victims or their families and arrange free treatment for those injured. We said the lawsuits, other than the serious ones, could be withdrawn and the government was ready for appropriate compensation and free treatment,” said Kharel. The talks team also urged the agitating parties to end blockade on the Nepal-India border and stop violent protests if they really wanted to create conducive environment for talks, according to Kharel. “Both sides are positive for creating environment,” he said.

Gachhadar said the government should be serious about addressing the concerns of agitating parties and ending the blockade. “It should take special initiatives to end the blockade through diplomatic dealing with India. Blockade does not augur well when the Dashain festival is approaching.”

Meanwhile, the Gachhadar-led front held a separate meeting with TMDP leader Thakur at the latter’s home in Bhaktapur and discussed about fighting jointly for their common cause, according to MJF (D) leader Ram Janam Chaudhari.