One week after the government-Madhesi Morcha talks failed, Prime Minister KP Oli has once again called a meeting with the agitating Madhesi parties.
Oli has also asked the NC to participate in talks scheduled for Monday and help forge a consensus with the Madhesi parties.
On 18 November, the government-Morcha talks, billed as ‘decisive’ by the ruling coalition, had ended inconclusively. The NC did not take part in that meeting, saying it was not ‘informed’.
The Morcha, a coalition of four Madhesi parties, has demanded that the ruling coalition and the NC come up with a concrete proposal on which of its demands can be met.
The Madhesi parties have already rejected the ruling coalitions’ proposal to form an all-party panel to redraw boundaries of federal provinces.
On Sunday, top leaders of the ruling coalition and the NC held talks to come up with a joint proposal to address demands raised by the Madhesis. But no decision has been taken so far, according to an NC leader.
UCPN (M), a member of the ruling coalition, has said it is ready to redraw the boundary of Madhes province by splitting the disputed districts in the east. But the NC, particularly its influential leader Krishna Sitaula, is against breaking the eastern plains districts.
As the UML-led ruling coalition and the NC struggle to come up with a common proposal on the Madhesi demands, there is little hope that Monday’s talks will bear fruits.
Relations between the ruling collation and the Morcha have soured since the previous indecisive talks. The Morcha, which had cleverly avoided confrontations with security forces by just concentrating on blocking the Nepal-India border points, is once again trying to obstruct the East-West highway.
Last week four people were killed when police opened fire to disperse Madhesi protesters trying to block the highway in Saptari district.
The UML also allegedly mobilised its cadre to stop top Madhesi leaders from addressing a gathering in Sunsari district, widening rift with the Morcha. Violent protests and counter-protests seen in the past week have deepened the government-Morcha distrust, and Monday’s meeting is likely to end up just as a formality.
Need of the hour is to stop all the Anti India Jingoism. Political Representatives from all walsk of life in India and Nepal Should take a lead and look at the genuine demands of the Madhesis as well.Also how can Nepal says all issues are its internal amtter when it has a open border with India. If this is the case, then lets seal the border and start passport and visa services at the Indo Nepal Border. If we do that, im sure Nepalis will again come out with guns blazing. Oli whos anti India stance from day one has not helped at all needs to do course correction. SIt with the Madhesis and try and find out a win win situation for all.
@Bharat: you tell me what are the genuine demands of madhesis – since you have decided to play the proverbial ‘broken record’ here.
BTW…Oli was always the poster boy for the Indian establishment (to counter other political forces). Don’t talk Nepal, unless you know.
Visa/Passports: OK> go for it. Please suggest to Modi.