Miscellaneous
Yadav’s SSFN has differing take on bill
Even as the Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal appears to be hardening its position on constitution amendment with fresh calls for a 10-province federal model, other parties in the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha have stood in favour of passing the bill through Parliament with “some revision”.Even as the Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal appears to be hardening its position on constitution amendment with fresh calls for a 10-province federal model, other parties in the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha have stood in favour of passing the bill through Parliament with “some revision”.
SSFN Chairman Upendra Yadav, also the coordinator of the Sanghiya Gathabandhan, on Thursday made a fresh call for adopting the 10-province model in order to “meet the aspirations of the Madhesi, Janajati and other marginalised and excluded communities”. Yadav and fringe Janajati forces in the Gathabandhan look set to launch a nationwide campaign in favour of the federal model recommended by the erstwhile State Restructuring Commission.
Other Morcha allies, however, have clarified that their position on the amendment bill remains unchanged. They claim that Yadav, who has been championing the cause of the Madhesi and Janajati communities, is pushing the agenda of the 10-province federal model to serve his own political interests.
“We have not presented more preconditions. We are seeking some changes to the amendment bill itself. We are ready to take ownership of the bill that the major parties pass by addressing our concerns over the boundaries,” said Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party Co-chair Hridayesh Tripathi.
Most of the Morcha allies insist that the Madhesi stronghold of Morang and Sunsari in the East and the Tharu-dominated Kailali and Kanchanpur districts in the West should be aligned with the plains provinces.
“If it’s difficult to demarcate the boundaries, we can at least form a commission now to work out the details of demarcation,” said Tripathi.
Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato said the Morcha’s immediate priority is pushing the bill through Parliament “with or without revision, to safeguard the achievements of the Madhes movement”.
“But our struggle against the constitution will not end there. We will keep agitating for integration of the five districts into the Madhes provinces,” said Mahato.
As the UML’s movement against the constitution amendment bill gains momentum, the Morcha leadership has been divided into two camps. While most of the regional parties have been pressing the government to pass the bill, Yadav and some fringe Janajati forces are coming ups with new preconditions to accepting the bill.
Yadav is also in talks with other parties including the Naya Shakti Nepal to lead a fresh struggle against the constitution. NSN Coordinator Baburam Bhattarai has been advocating major changes in state restructuring.