Leaders of the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal have said they are preparing to stage a Rastriya Aandolan, or national level protest, by uniting with all the forces advocating politics of identity. They have also proposed to the Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal, another Madhes-based party, for unification.

On Wednesday, the RJP-N withdrew its support to the KP Sharma Oli-led government after the Kailali District Court sentenced Lawmaker Resham Chaudhary and 10 others to life imprisonment, convicting them of masterminding the Tikapur massacre of nine people in August 2015.

Speaking at an assembly in Maleth, Saptari, on Thursday, Rajendra Mahato, a presidium member of the RJP-Nepal, said they will be launching a peaceful agitation in the next few days to ensure the rights of backward communities. He also spoke of his party’s decision to form an alliance with the parties having similar ideology. “We are going to unite all identity [-based] political forces and demonstrate against the court and the government,” said Mahato.

“How can the court sentence a parliamentarian elected by the people to life imprisonment?” asked Mahato, adding that Chaudhary was jailed for his involvement in identity politics while former Maoist combatants, who killed thousands of people, go scot-free. “Was it only Resham who led protests in this country?”

Mahato also criticised the government for not addressing the party’s demands including scrapping of political cases against its leaders and cadres involved in the Madhes movement.

Mahato added that the RJP-N has started a discussion with the political forces that support the cause of identity for the planned protest. Mahendra Raya Yadav, coordinator of the RJP-N Presidium, said there was no alternative for the Madhes-based parties to uniting for a movement against the government.

“The incumbent government is against identity politics. Therefore, we must join forces to combat the injustice meted out to us,” he said.