Commentary
Kathmandu, November 27. The Madhesh Movement, going on for more than 100 days at the call of the United Democratic Madheshi Front, has not stoked communal flames between Madheshi and Pahadi communities. So far, the movement has been standing on and gaining strength on anti-government plank.
In coming days, however, the movement has the potential to trigger clashes between people from Pahadi and Madheshi communities, with the UDMF taking the movement to the East-West Highway.
A recent incident has heightened the fear of communal violence.
The UDMF had planned to hold a protest assembly in Itahari, Sunsari, on Friday. But student unions affiliated to ruling parties objected and called the UDMF to cancel the programme in view of the Indian blockade and the recent shooting attributed to India’s Seema Sashastra Bal personnel in Bhantabari, which left four Nepalis injured. As UDMF cadres refused to budge, the unions torched the UDMF podium on fire. While settlements close to the highway in Rautahat and Sarlahi districts are witnessing protests with banners of the Chure-Bhawar Movement. Incidents like these have heightened highway security sensitivities.
Worryingly, there’s a pattern to these incidents. Three days ago in Fuljor, Sarlahi, locals did not even let UDMF protesters enter their area. They chased the protesters and brought the Chure-Bhawar into limelight.
After UDMF announcement that it will shut the highway, the artery is witnessing anti-UDMF protests, heightening fears of communal clashes in the plains.
The UDMF may be having second thoughts about the protest after locals chased away its cadres from Fuljor under the Chure-Bhawar banner.
Chure-Bhawar has announced it will not let UDMF leader Rajendra Mahato enter its bastion. It has started mobilsing youth to chase away protesters, who may try to shut the highway.
On the other hand, UDMF has banned Nepali Congress and CPN-UML leaders from entering eight Tarai districts. It has also set some leaders’ houses on fire.
Close to the highway, there are dense settlements of Pahadi communities. The Madhesh Movement has not made much impact on the highway region spanning from Dhalkebar (Dhanusha) to Simara of Bara.
Pahadi communities comprise 22 per cent of 20 Tarai districts’ population. Pahadi communities comprise nine per cent of the population of Province II, which stretches from Saptari to Parsa.
On Thursday, under the banner of Chure-Bhawar, a huge protest against the Indian blockade and the Madheshi Movement took place in Chandranigahpur, Rautahat. Apparently, cadres from major parties also took part in the protest.
A journalist based in Rautahat said: “Participation of such a huge number of people is not possible without the involvement of Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN-Maoist in the protest.”
“Nonetheless, Thursday’s protest has forced the UDMF to do a rethink on its planned highway-centric protest.”
It should be noted that Chure-Bhawar Party is not that formidable a force. In the Constituent Assembly I, it had just one CA member, while in CA II, it had none. Huge protests under the Chure-Bhawar banner point at the possibility of involvement of ruling party cadres.
Chure-Bhawar Party President Badri Neupane said they will remain aware of elements that try to upset communal harmony. But we will not let the UDMF stage sit-ins and protests along the highway, he warned.
“We will not let (the UDMF) shut the highway, come what may. We will chase them away if they refuse to relent. At one call, thousands of our people will descend on the highway,” Neupane said.
Already, the CBP is making preparations to disrupt the UDMF’s scheduled programme in Lalbandi, Sarlahi.
With people displaying the national flag descending on Chandranigahpur in huge numbers on Thursday, security agencies got their wakeup call. They have stepped up security.
Bipin Gautam, a Rautahat-based journalist and human rights activist, said: With the blockade taking a huge toll on them, it seems, thousands of people will descend on the highway at one call. We are asking both UDMF and Chure Bhawar to exercise restraint.
However, Sadbhavana Party Central Member Yogendra Ray said this smacks of efforts to stoke riots by mobilising security personnel in civvies.
Other UDMF leaders alleged major parties of trying to stoke communal violence instead of trying to prevent the same.
Lawmaker from Rautahat-6, Ram Kumar Bhattarai, said there’s no possibility of communal clashes on the highway. “Pahadi and Madheshi communities have been living in harmony, so clashes will not happen,” Bhattarai, who is from the CPN-UML, said. “But people can chase away elements, who come to obstruct the highway and unleash terror.”
Hill, Madheshi and Tharu people are tried of the movement, UML leader in Sarlahi, Ganesh Prasain, said, adding: That’s why they seem ready for retaliation.
Prasain said: Our leaders and cadres are not taking part in the Chure-Bhawar protest. But people, carrying the national flag, are descending (on the highway) to protest against the blockade and the Madheshi front’s highway blockade. Instead of inciting clashes, the UDMF would do well to back off.”
Upendra Yadav, president of the Federal Socialist Forum, a UDMF constituent, had told Online Khabar in a recent interview that the ruling parties were trying to stoke communal violence in Tarai-Madhesh.
He had said: No one can upset communal harmony between Pahadi and Madheshi communities.
