ADDRESS AGITATION

The Kathmandu Post

10 November 2015

ADDRESS AGITATION

It was encouraging to see that the Madhes based political parties have started attending the Parliamentary session. They have now decided to protest against the demarcation of federal states on the streets and in the Parliament (“Morcha obstruct House after its address” 9 Nov. Page 1). Most of the Madhes and tarai districts have remained closed due to the agitation for almost three months now due to the protest and their grievances needs to be addressed by the government.

Why did the big three political parties –Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) - not address the demands put forward by the agitating parties immediately? They did not have any problem in altering their decision of federating the country from six to seven states soon after the people from the hilly districts protested on the streets. Now, that a new government has been formed, the ruling parties should be serious about resolving the current crisis through sincere dialogue with the agitating parties..

The ruling parties should take the agitating parties’ return to Parliament positively and engage them in positive and fruitful dialogue (“It takes two to tango” 9 Nov. Page 6). However, going by the working style of Prime Minister Oli, it does not seem that the ongoing political crisis will end anytime soon. He is still expanding his cabinet even after appointing six deputy prime ministers. He was not even able to convince Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ease the undeclared trade blockade.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj.