Nepal: Madhesis confident of govt addressing their demands

Kathmandu [Nepal], Sept 18 (ANI): Anil Kumar Jha, one of the Chairmen of the Rashtriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N), is hopeful that the incumbent Nepal Communist Party-led government will address the demands made by his party regarding the rights of the Madhesi people.

In the Himalayan nation's eastern Terai, some people who identify themselves as Madhesis, often allege that they face discrimination in their country.

The RJP-N has now become the single largest party after the merging with six Madhes-based political parties that held protests in the southern plains of Nepal, demanding for an amendment in the constitution.

"In Nepal, we have the government of two-third majority and the constitutional provision is; if there is a major issue in the parliament and if the government wants to address these issues, we need an amendment in the constitution, for which we need a two-thirds majority of the house. That's why we are hopeful with this government as there is the requisite two-thirds majority and it will be easy to fulfil the demands of Madhesh-movement, demands of RJP-N and the people of Terai-Madhes," Jha said in an interview with ANI.

A previous attempt to introduce an amendment in the constitution had failed, owing to the lack of a clear, two-thirds majority in the previously dissolved parliament in 2017. With the three-tier elections held simultaneously, the Nepal Communist Party has garnered a two-thirds majority, appointing K. P. Sharma Oli as the first Prime Minister of Federal Nepal.

The RJP-N is planning to hold a protest on September 19, the Constitution Day.

"RJP- Nepal have planned to protest countrywide on the Constitution Day and in the evening, RJP-N will be having blackouts for 15 minutes, countrywide," Jha said about the protest plans.

On Wednesday, Nepal celebrating the third anniversary of its lately promulgated constitution, the enactment of which stirred violent protests in the southern plains in 2015, leading to the deaths of around 100 people.