By–Jivesh Jha
At a time when the people from streets of Nepal to the world of internet making opinions about the split in loose alliance of United Democratic Madheshi Front (UDMF), the collective presence of senior leaders of parties represented in Front at a program in Indian state of Bihar has added fuel in the saga of Madhesh politics.
Attending a function in Muzaffarpur of Indian state of Bihar, the leaderships thought that such a gesture of ‘togetherness’ will bring messages with baggage that can have positive impacts on innocent public. However, the people have become wise enough to judge: “Why are they reluctant to appear jointly before plain dwellers?”
Following age-old proverb–“A friend is need, a friend indeed”—the constituent parties of United Democratic Madheshi Front (UDMF) appeared together on Sunday at Muzaffarpur, Bihar on the special invitation of former Union Minister Dr Raghubansh Prashad Singh.
It is often argued that a friend is the real well wisher of a person who always stands for each other even as family members betrays. The similar case has happened with the Madheshi parties where they are finding that their grips in Sothern plains losing due to their own mistakes, they are expediting their all energies to set an example of friendship by establishing nexus with leaderships of beyond the border
for their “common cause”.
The parties have said that they met the Indian leaders as a part of interaction program, where they discussed about the Madhesh-based agitation. The program was joined by Upendra Yadav, Rajendra Mahato, Mahendra Ray Yadav and among other leaders of the Madheshi parties.
At a time when the leaders should come together in reaching out the electorates of Madhesh to discuss about the loss and gains of Madhesh unrest, these leaders wished to report about their activities to non-electorates and leaders of bordering districts. Will it serve the interest of Madhesh?
The corporate sector, businessmen, middle-class families, schools, banking sector, and among others have badly suffered due to six months long Madhesh unrest. These leaders should reach to them and discuss with the difficulties came across, instead of visiting the leaders of southern neighbor.
In across Terai, the businessmen and creditors demanded that as they could not run their business during the Madhesh unrest, the government should make arrangements to immune them from banking interests for that period. Similarly, the members of those families who have lost their sons and daughters in Madhesh unrest and whose sons and daughters have been badly injured demanded compensation from the government. Even the newly enforced constitution of Nepal has guaranteed that right to seek compensation falls under the ambit of fundamental rights.
However, these leaders never appeared together before the government or the people, for whom they capitalize their politics, to advocate in favor of compensations or demands of the people. Neither, they took initiatives to arrange funds for rehabilitation of families, whose members have been either lost or badly injured.
Meanwhile, by organizing separate programs and unveiling separate roadmaps, the parties represented in the UDMF already clarified that they are no more united in a loose alliance. In fact, the split in
the Front was bound to happen as they are yet to succeed an inch in thwarting the narcissist attitude from them. Nonetheless, when it comes to take the political powers of India into confidence, the senior leaders get united for a “cause”. The people at large are yet to understand who are the real beneficiaries of the politics carried by Madheshi parties?
Its of no doubt that Nepal shares unique and special ties with India, determined by open border and marital bonding. It is widely believed that the two countries share common soil, water and air. No countries in world are so closely connected as Nepal and India is. It is argued that even Nepal shares grief and pain of India and always wants to see it recover fast. The relationship between two neighboring countries should flourish without any disturbance. And, the cornerstone has been
set by the heart-to-heart relationship resting upon marital bonding.
The Madheshi parties frequently argue that they act as a catalyst to maintain special ties with India. And, moreover, they reach before the bordering leaders with a view to strengthen the unique and special ties with India. However, what happens to them in reaching collectively before the Madheshi people? Don’t they have a ‘unique and special’ tie with Madheshi people?
On the contrary, along with the Madheshi parties, the campaigner of independent Madhesh Dr CK Raut, who Chairs Alliance of Independent Madhesh (AIM), has also started reaching out the doors of leaders in
New Delhi.
It can be argued that the Indian soil is the epicenter of Madhesh politics where separatists and non-separatists, the Madheshi parties, both find a reasonable space. The Madheshi parties want to take
neighboring politicians into confidence which could be ‘grateful’ for their agitation. However, the Dr Raut , a separatist force, wants to win the trust of southern neighbor so as to get helps in wresting the
Madhesh region from Nepal. Giving a page long interview to Hindustan Times, a prominent English newspaper in India, Dr Raut tried to woo the southern neighbor. He also met with the Madheshi youths living in New Delhi to win their heart and minds.
In fact, innocent Madheshis can be made fool if you reach to them and say that “Nepal is only the land of Hilly people and the Hill people are our enemies.” By making these types of inhuman statements, the cadres of Dr Raut approach the Madheshi youths and students. In his self-declared scholarly book—“Bairag Dekhi Bacahv Samma”—the campaigner of AIM Dr Raut has tried his best to compile hatred feelings against Nepal as a whole.
So, the political forces representing Madhesh seem to be closer with the southern neighbor than the Madheshi people. Instead winning the heart and minds of the people, these leaders reach the doors of their “well wishers” to get blessings and support. Even separatist forces, like Dr Raut, have never appeared before the mass to advocate for the cause of Madhesh: employment, infrastructural developments, education, and, mainstreaming of underprivileged groups. Further, separatist forces, like Dr Raut, one who frequently keeps lying—“I am not a separatist and charges are malicious– before the judicial Magistrates just for the sake of immunity from arresting, cannot be an alternate
of democratic forces.
So, instead of reaching the doors of leaders of neighboring countries, the leaders of Madheshi parties, including separatist forces, should take initiatives in healing the wounds of the Madheshi people, who
suffered the batons and bullets of Nepal Police. Both separatist and non-separatist try to woo the Indian leaderships but not the electorates of Madhesh. You politicians!! Please work for the cause of Madhesh, almighty will bless you.