‘Tarai agitation akin to airless ball’

Okhaldhunga, February 14

CPN-UML General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel today said the Tarai agitation launched at the behest of foreigners had been like an airless ball.

Addressing the eight district conference of UML in Okhaldhunga today, UML leader Pokharel held that demands raised by the Tarai agitation could not be addressed as they were not genuine.

“There is no point in launching agitation that will eventually tear apart nationality, ethnic harmony and cultural tolerance,” Pokharel added.

He reiterated that since the demands raised by the Tarai agitation were vague and irrelevant, they could not be fulfilled at any cost. He stated that the blockade was imposed at Nepal’s border points after the government refused to submit to pressure in relation to the statute. Pokharel clarified that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli would not seal any agreement against national interest and nationality during his upcoming India visit.

Pokharel said the government would work to improve relations with both India and China. “To improve relations with both the countries, KP Oli will visit China after his India tour,” Pokharel said.

Pokharel said if the parties and government should change the demarcation of provinces, he pledged to propose to make Province No 1 as Sagarmatha Pradesh.

At the programme, Youth and Sports Minister Satya Narayan Mandal commented that Tarai agitation was of a fascist character.