Kathmandu, Madhesis must now come closer
It's good that the United Democratic Madhesi Front has finally called off the blockade at the border with India, clearing the way for the free movement of vehicles carrying essential products, including fuel, from India into Nepal. Besides ending the months of misery that the people had had to undergo as a result of the blockade, when essential material was in short-supply, the UDMF's decision creates the right environment for the much-anticipated visit of Nepalese Prime Minister KPS Oli to India sometime later this month. Mr Oli had earlier hinted that his trip to the neighbouring country should ideally come with the lifting of the blockade. This may have been a face-saving tactic given that many elements in his Government had taken a hardline position on the matter. To that extent, the Madhesi leadership must be complimented for removing an obstacle in the re-establishment of cordial relations between New Delhi and Kathmandu which had reached a peak in the early months of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure. It must be said here, though, that India wasn't responsible, which many in Kathmandu's ruling dispensation believe, for the disruption in movement of goods from this side of the border; Nepal's mishandling of the agitation the Madhesis had launched to oppose certain provisions of the new Constitution had led to the crisis. The issue still remains, since the Madhesi groups comprising the Front have not called off the protests — they have only allowed the agitation not to affect the movement of goods from India into Nepal. There is now a window of opportunity for Kathmandu to reach out to the protesters in a spirit of give-and-take. To begin with, it must end its oppressive methods of stifling the agitation or charging protesting leaders with sedition. No right-thinking person, either in Nepal or India, will want the disintegration or division of Nepal. There may have been isolated voices calling for a so-called Madhesi nation, but those need to be dismissed rather than given importance through knee-jerk reactions such as filing cases of anti-national conduct. So, while Mr Oli has rightly welcomed the decision to end the blockade as a “positive” move, he must follow it up with his Government's outreach to the Madhesi community.
Meanwhile the protesting Madhesis had realised that the blockade their protests led to, had begun to harm both the trading community and the people at large. There were reports of traders on the Nepalese side of the border ripping off the temporary tents the protesting Madhesi leaders had put up. Even the people had begun to tire of the situation, especially since it wasn't leading to any resolution. It's important for the UDMF not to antagonise influential sections of the society at a time when they need broad-based public support for their continuing agitation. Also, it would not do if the common man in the Terai plains turned against the movement.