Online Khabar
Itahari, November 27. Student unions affiliated to ruling parties have set on fire the podium, which the United Democratic Madheshi Front had constructed in Itahari for organising its protest programme. Itahari is tense after the incident.

Union activists doused petrol and set the venue on fire on Friday morning when UDMF cadres were setting up the podium close to Kheti Khola, for the programme slated for the afternoon.

After coming to know that UDMF central leaders, including Rajendra Mahato, were to address the programme, the unions had issued a press release on Thursday, calling them to cancel the programme.

Situation on the ground

• At Kheti Khola, student unions aligned with ruling parties torched the podium that UDMF was building for its gathering, on Friday
  The unions had sought cancellation of the event, in view of outrage in Sunsari aganist the Indian blockade and the recent SSB shooting that injured four Nepalis
• Itahari is tense after the incident, with UDMF bent on organising the programme. Security personnel have deployed to ward off clashes

They had objected to the UDMF plan, pointing that the front was trying to organise a programme in support of India at a time when that country had imposed a blockade against Nepal and Indian SSB had shot and injured Nepalis, referring to the shooting in Bhantabari, Sunsari, that left four Nepalis injured.

After the SSB shooting, Sunsari people are seething with rage. Drawing attention towards this scenario, the student unions had told UDMF not to organise the programme.

Without heeding this, UDMF was preparing to go ahead with its plan. Together with the front, Federal Limbuwan Party was also scheduled to take part in the programme.

Student unions affiliated to the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, UCPN-Maoist and RPP-Nepal had asked the UDMF not to organise the programme.

Keeping in mind the possibility of clashes between cadres of UDMF and the student unions involved in the arson, security agencies are on high alert. There’s a heavy deployment of security personnel on highways, while north of the arteries a huge number of student union activists and local people are pouring in.

On the site of arson, a small number of UDMF cadres have assembled. They are bent on organising the programme.