05-01-2007, 12:16 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Madhesis seek Indian role </b>
Pioneer.com
Akhilesh Suman | New Delhi
After suppression at hands of Maoists in Terai
Fighting Maoists' oppression and indifference of the Seven Party Alliance (SPA), the Madhesis are now seeking India's intervention for an equitable share in power and in autonomy or the statehood for Terai region.
The Chairman of the Madheshi People's Rights Forum (Madhesi Jandhikar Manch) Upendra Yadav will meet leaders of various political parties in New Delhi on Monday onwards to create a favourable opinion on Madhesi movement in Nepal.
This is his first formal meeting with Indian leaders on issues plaguing the erstwhile Himalayan Kingdom in the wake of people's revolt against the kingdom.
According to sources, Yadav will meet a cross section of Indian political leadership, including CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechuri, CPI general secretary AB Bardhan, Janata Dal(U) president Sharad Yadav and Nationalist Congress party general secretary DP Tripathi.
These four leaders were instrumental in initiating talks between the Maoists in Nepal and the SPA.
<b>"We want federal structure of Nepal and statehood for Madhesi population under the new constitution that is going to be formed,"</b> Upendra Yadav told The Pioneer.
On his meeting with the Indian leaders, he said that the biggest democracy like India could help much in getting rid of the age-old exploitation of the Madhesis.
Yadav said that while Madhesis were almost half of the Nepalese population, there had been little representation in the bureaucracy, military, police and other wings of Nepal.
"We want proportionate representation for Madhesis in Nepal's mainstream activities," he said.
While accepting that there is a fight between the Maoists in Nepal and the Madhesi organisations, Yadav said that he has accepted the talk invitation from the Government, which has nominated Ram Chandra Poudel, a Cabinet Minister to head the talk team from the Government side. However the dates of the talks are not yet finalised.
In the present Nepal Assembly Madheshis have only 38 members out of the total of 205.
"This does not represent out demography and population, we should get half of the Assembly representation," he asserted adding that monarchy in Nepal had carved constituencies in manner that hardly Madheshis could win the election.
While the Nepal Constituent Assembly polls may be postponed which was slated for June, the meeting of MPRF leaders in India assumes significance as they may broker some kind of arrangement for the agitating Madheshis.
Condemning Maoists, Yadav said, "What they speak, they don't follow." Maoists in Nepal favour some kind of arrangement for Madheshis in new Nepal Constitution, but the irony is that the fight in Nepal is mainly centered between the Maoists and Madheshis.
<b>Madheshi in Nepal are migrant population from various parts if India, especially from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. They form almost 48 per cent of in total 23.6 million Nepal's population. </b>
During Kingdom rule of Nepal these people were neither properly represented in political bodies, and they were looked down to be non-Nepalese, even when they are living there since centuries.
Madheshi movement was in limelight last months for triggering a violence in which more than 20 people were killed in clash with the Maoists in Nepal. Most of those killed were Maoists themselves.
Nepalese Assembly saw uproarious scenes after that and consequently the Nepalese Government led by Girija Prasad Koirala has agreed to talks with the Madheshi leadership on their demands.
Though Yadav kept the names of the leaders he is meeting, close to his chest, he said that India could help get justice to the people living in Tarai of Nepal, who are the sons and daughters of the Nepalese soil for more than 238 years.Â
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Pioneer.com
Akhilesh Suman | New Delhi
After suppression at hands of Maoists in Terai
Fighting Maoists' oppression and indifference of the Seven Party Alliance (SPA), the Madhesis are now seeking India's intervention for an equitable share in power and in autonomy or the statehood for Terai region.
The Chairman of the Madheshi People's Rights Forum (Madhesi Jandhikar Manch) Upendra Yadav will meet leaders of various political parties in New Delhi on Monday onwards to create a favourable opinion on Madhesi movement in Nepal.
This is his first formal meeting with Indian leaders on issues plaguing the erstwhile Himalayan Kingdom in the wake of people's revolt against the kingdom.
According to sources, Yadav will meet a cross section of Indian political leadership, including CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechuri, CPI general secretary AB Bardhan, Janata Dal(U) president Sharad Yadav and Nationalist Congress party general secretary DP Tripathi.
These four leaders were instrumental in initiating talks between the Maoists in Nepal and the SPA.
<b>"We want federal structure of Nepal and statehood for Madhesi population under the new constitution that is going to be formed,"</b> Upendra Yadav told The Pioneer.
On his meeting with the Indian leaders, he said that the biggest democracy like India could help much in getting rid of the age-old exploitation of the Madhesis.
Yadav said that while Madhesis were almost half of the Nepalese population, there had been little representation in the bureaucracy, military, police and other wings of Nepal.
"We want proportionate representation for Madhesis in Nepal's mainstream activities," he said.
While accepting that there is a fight between the Maoists in Nepal and the Madhesi organisations, Yadav said that he has accepted the talk invitation from the Government, which has nominated Ram Chandra Poudel, a Cabinet Minister to head the talk team from the Government side. However the dates of the talks are not yet finalised.
In the present Nepal Assembly Madheshis have only 38 members out of the total of 205.
"This does not represent out demography and population, we should get half of the Assembly representation," he asserted adding that monarchy in Nepal had carved constituencies in manner that hardly Madheshis could win the election.
While the Nepal Constituent Assembly polls may be postponed which was slated for June, the meeting of MPRF leaders in India assumes significance as they may broker some kind of arrangement for the agitating Madheshis.
Condemning Maoists, Yadav said, "What they speak, they don't follow." Maoists in Nepal favour some kind of arrangement for Madheshis in new Nepal Constitution, but the irony is that the fight in Nepal is mainly centered between the Maoists and Madheshis.
<b>Madheshi in Nepal are migrant population from various parts if India, especially from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. They form almost 48 per cent of in total 23.6 million Nepal's population. </b>
During Kingdom rule of Nepal these people were neither properly represented in political bodies, and they were looked down to be non-Nepalese, even when they are living there since centuries.
Madheshi movement was in limelight last months for triggering a violence in which more than 20 people were killed in clash with the Maoists in Nepal. Most of those killed were Maoists themselves.
Nepalese Assembly saw uproarious scenes after that and consequently the Nepalese Government led by Girija Prasad Koirala has agreed to talks with the Madheshi leadership on their demands.
Though Yadav kept the names of the leaders he is meeting, close to his chest, he said that India could help get justice to the people living in Tarai of Nepal, who are the sons and daughters of the Nepalese soil for more than 238 years.Â
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