Rautahat, January 14

Even after a verbal the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front Rautahat agreed to ease vehicular movement for a week here, vehicles did not ply in the district today.

Earlier, in view of the long disruption of transport in the plains and its impact on the residents here for the past five months, the front, at a meeting in Gaur yesterday had decided to lift the ban on vehicular movements till January 21.

However, no vehicle plied here today after youth organisations aligned to the front refused to honour the agreement and vowed to disrupt vehicles at all cost by holding a demonstration in Gaur yesterday evening.

“As the local leaders of the front seem to be plotting to thwart the five-month-long struggle for rights, we can’t accept the agreement,” said Federal Inclusive Madhesi Alliance-aligned Tarai Madhes Youth Campaign central coordinator Lalit Mallik, accusing the front leaders of selling themselves in return for monetary gains.

“What we’ve learnt is that they took the decision to facilitate a few coal-transporting trucks to enter from across the border at Gaur Bairganiya entry point by receiving money in return from brick kiln operators,” he argued.

Meanwhile, transportation entrepreneurs have been a depressed lot following the latest development.

“Earlier we were happy at the decision of the front, but it’s useless now,” said Rautahat Bus Entrepreneurs’ Association Chairperson Rama Shankar Giri, asking, “Who will take responsibility for the damage if we operate our vehicles despite their admonition?”