UDMF demands roadmap to settle disputes

Major parties want blockade ended first

KATHMANDU, Oct 1: Agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) has agreed in principle to sit for talks with the major three political parties but it wants the parties to come up with a clear roadmap for addressing the former's demands.

"We are always open for talks but before sitting at the negotiating table we want a clear proposal on how will they address the issues related to the constitution," said Sarvendra Nath Shukla, the general secretary of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP).

"We want their views on how they want to settle the issues related to provincial delineation, electoral constituencies, citizenship and proportional inclusion," he added.

On Wednesday, UDMF discussed the government appeal to sit for talks.

Earlier on Tuesday, the three-member team formed by the major parties to hold talks with the agitating Madhes-based parties had separately met with the leaders of the disgruntled parties and urged them to stop blockade at Nepal-India border checkpoints.

The team had met with TMDP Chairman Mahantha Thakur and Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D) Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar and urged them to end the blockade and stop making provocative statements.

During the talks, both the leaders had asked the government to meet their preconditions before starting political negotiations and reiterated that curfew at different places should be lifted and cases against their cadres arrested during the protest should be dropped. Likewise, they had asked for declaring the dead protestors as martyrs as well reparations to their families, and free treatment to the injured.

A meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and the UCPN (Maoist) on Monday had formed the talks team comprised of Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation Mahesh Acharya, CPN-UML chief whip Agni Kharel and UCPN (Maoist) Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha.

Meanwhile, Wednesday's meeting of UDMF in Rautahat has appealed to the people and organizations in Tarai-Madhes to support their non-cooperation movement against the government. The meeting has urged the people of Tarai-Madhes to stop paying taxes to the government.

The four parties have also condemned the move of some cable operators to stop broadcast of Indian television channels and termed the move as cultural invasion against Madhes.