Miscellaneous
Agitating leaders go on relay fast
Madhesi and Janajati parties affiliated to the Sanghiya Gathabandhan, also known as the federal alliance, began a relay hunger strike on Tuesday after changing the form of their agitation.Madhesi and Janajati parties affiliated to the Sanghiya Gathabandhan, also known as the federal alliance, began a relay hunger strike on Tuesday after changing the form of their agitation.
Gathabandhan leaders said the fast was continuation of the protest against the government and the constitution. Madhes-based parties, which led the five-month long violent protests in the Tarai, have been demonstrating peacefully in recent months.
Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav said the agitation would not stop unless the major parties agree to rewrite the constitution.
“We will unveil more programmes of protest in the coming days if the government and major parties continue to turn their deaf ears to our demands,” said Yadav. Twenty-nine parties affiliated to the alliance have put forward a 26-point charter of demands, including the call to revise the federal boundaries.
Leaders said the hunger strike would be held each day from 7am to 7pm at Khulamanch in Kathmandu.
The alliance, which has strong reservations about the new constitution, has been organising Capital-centric protests since May 14 to pile pressure on the government to address their demands of rewriting the new charter and implementing agreements signed with several groups in the past.
Top leaders of the Madhesi Morcha including Upendra Yadav, Ashok Rai, Renu Yadav and Sharat Singh Bhandari were present on the first day of the relay hunger strike.