WHY NOT THARUHAT?

The Kathmandu Post

4 September 2015

WHY NOT THARUHAT?

The ongoing protests and continuous bandhas in Tarai districts have made daily lives of the common people really difficult there. Observing the ego of major political parties, it seems that these incidents will continue for a while.  Why are leaders trying to suppress the voice of the people who are expressing dissatisfactions at their unilateral decision to demarcate the nation into six, and then seven provinces? The top leaders need to take the discontents of the people seriously, and bring the agitated forces on board for talks.

People have been killed each day in the Tarai districts by the security forces in the name of maintaining law and order (“Five protesters killed in police firing” 2 September, Page 1). It is very sad and unfortunate to see the people dying while the new constitution is being drafted. A constitution is a document of compromises. If major political parties can satisfy one group of agitating people from one region by re-delineating the boundaries and creating a new province, then why cannot they do the same for other groups such as the Tharus? They should have involved all the concerned stakeholders while demarcating the boundaries rather than abruptly announcing their six province model. In a democracy, just having a simple majority does not always work. Nepal has been trying to draft a new constitution through the Constituent Assembly for the last eight years. If the major political parties miss this opportunity, their political future will be uncertain.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj