Nearly 2,000 Nepal-bound trucks have been stranded on the Raxaul-Birgunj border since September 21, when the Himalayan country unveiled its controversial Constitution, triggering widespread protests from the Indian-origin Madhesis against several of its discriminatory provisions.
Nine weeks later, more than 50 Madhesis have lost their lives in clashes with the Nepal Police and the situation is deteriorating by the day. Nepal is showing little inclination to pay heed to India’s request to accommodate the concerns of the Madhesis.
“The situation is volatile. At least 2,000 trucks are stranded on the border. The Madhesis won’t let them enter,” said an Intelligence official.
The officer explained that though Nepal is trying to arm-twist India by threatening to meet its requirement of diesel and essential commodities from China, it was not going to be an easy option because of the hilly terrain.
“It’s a case of who blinks first. India can’t be seen letting down the Madhesis after strongly taking up their cause. We will lose face internationally,” he said.
The last few days have witnessed increased violence in Nepal. The Joint Democratic Madhesi Front (JDMF) cadre on November 20 had torched an ambulance and a truck carrying medicines from India.
Two days later, as Nepal reeled under acute shortage of essential goods, its police force shot four Madhesi protesters in an attempt to remove the blockade in Saptari dsitrict on the country’s main East-West Highway, some 280 km southeast of the Capital. While Nepal has blamed India for encouraging the Madhesis, New Delhi has repeatedly tried to convince Kathmandu to look into the genuine concerns of the Madhesis and resolve the entire issue in a spirit of reconciliation.
Since the promulgation of the new Constitution in Nepal, the country is beset with massive unrest and violent protests. In addition to Madhesis -- Tharu tribals, and Janjatis -- who live close to the Indian border are also outraged over some discriminatory provisions in the new Constitution.
The new Constitution was finalised on September 20, 2015 replacing the interim Constitution, which was approved by the Nepal Parliament in 2007. From 1948 onwards, autocrat ‘Ranas’ or the monarchy led by kings has rejected as many as six Constitutions. After a prolonged struggle and revolution in April 2006, the monarchy was abolished and an interim Constitution put in place in 2007. The Constituent Assembly was mandated to frame the new Constitution of the country within two years and a Constituent Assembly was elected in 2008. The Constituent Assembly failed to frame the country’s Constitution within the time-frame owing to many hiccups posed by the Maoists. Again, in 2013, a new Constituent Assembly was elected and finally the new Constitution was drafted.
Outraged over several discriminatory provisions in the Constitution, the Madhesis started a nationwide agitation, leading to an undeclared blockade on movement of trucks from India. This has delivered a huge blow to the economy of the Himalayan country and caused an acute shortage of fuel and essential commodities.
One of the provisions that has caused widespread anger among the Madhesis says that children of women from the Terai region who marry Indians cannot be Nepalese citizens. The dhoti-wearing Madhesis, speaking Hindi or Nepali dialects and having family connections with India, have never been accepted by the hill-centric ruling elite of Kathmandu. Although Madhesis constituted 30 per cent of the population and contribute majority of the revenues, they continue to face discrimination as Government services and Army are mostly out of bounds for them. Madhesis have no uniform entity because of different caste and religion, but they have bonds of common interest.
The new Constitution has stipulated that 12 out of 20 districts of Madhes will be attached to and become appendages of hill districts. The delineation of constituencies has ensured that the representation of Madehesis in the direct elections will fall from legitimate 83 to 63. It would also lead to disenfranchisement of a large section of people and make territory and not population as the decisive factor for delineation.
The Madhesis resented such provisions and launched fierce protests and blockades. In addition, an ethnic divide within Nepal is being emphasised obviously to create a wedge between Janjatis, Tharus and Madhesis.
The fact remains intact that Kathmandu cannot just ignore the protests by Madhesis, who occupy the flat southern region of Nepal - the Terai. The area is known as Madhes in Nepali language and its indigenous inhabitants are called Madhesis. Terai comprises 34,109 square km and 20 districts, accounting for 22 per cent of Nepal’s total area and 23.2 million of population out of total 47.79 millions.
The entire area of Madhes lies between the hills and the Gangetic plain. It is said that the Madhes areas were annexed into kingdom by the Gorkhas in their first flush of expansion. Much of it was ceded to East India Company in 1816 at the Treaty of Sugouli and returned after 1857 as a token of gratitude following assistance rendered by the Ranas in suppressing the uprising!
Now the Madhesis are up in arms over further discrimination in the new Constitution of Nepal. Perceptions are no less important than reality, and it is widely seen that privileged classes of hill areas - Bahuns and the Chhatris - are attempting to perpetuate their dominance over the Terai people. Babu Ram Bhattarai, the chief ideologue of Maoists and the former Prime Minister, has resigned from the party, supporting the demands of Madhesis.