‘Govt should address Madhesi demands immediately’

Prolonged protest in various areas of the Tarai region coupled with unofficial blockade by India on Nepal for over 2 weeks has hard hit normal life across tarai region. The Republica accessed opinions of various persons on the situation, here’s what some of them had to say about the situation:

Sunil Kumar Mahato
Chair of Siraha District Chamber of Commerce and Industries

It's been two months since the strike begun taking toll on the locals. The market area is all empty as the shops and businesses are closed. Entrepreneurs are facing challenges in clearing their bank loans and paying the staff.
Some have taken unfair advantage of the situation by charging exorbitant prices for commodities and services to consumers. At the end, poor people have suffered the most because of this unrest.
There are no happy signs of Dashain among the locals which is supposedly the biggest festival of the nation due to the ongoing strike.
It is unfortunate to see no immediate actions from government. Demands of the Madhesi community should be addressed for resolving the issue.

Shashikant Chaudhary
an entrepreneur from Lahan

The two-months-long banda has deprived us of basic survival needs. All my savings so far have been spent during this strike. We're now forced to borrow money to run our living. The strike which was staged to fulfill Madhesi rights, has been affecting themselves.
Business used to be good during the Pre-Dashain time but the ongoing strike and political scenario has seriously plummeted our daily earning. Local markets are open in other areas. So, why are the shops closed only in Lahan? If the agitators could pressurize the government by not affecting our businesses, it would help a lot of people.

Baidnath Thakur
a farmer from Pipariya, Sarlahi

The ongoing protests and blockade has hampered people from lower economic backgrounds. Laborers and peasants are being deprived of their daily incomes. Agricultural production in the fields is sure to get affected due to lack of fertilizers and other resources. Students are paying expensive fees to their schools without attending schools.

Government is supposed to resolve the issues. But its inefficiency has forced to go through these adverse situations. Along the protests is hampering the relationship between Madhes and hilly people. There is no alternative other than to solve this issue.

Jamuna Bhandari
an entrepreneur from Nawalparasi

Lack of fuel and raw materials has hampered our daily means of transportation. My business is going in huge loss as all the goods need to be brought from across the border.

Incidences of protest enforcers beating locals who reach Indian border for buying and snatching their goods are on the rise. The local administration is unable to provide us security. It is shameful for India to interfere in our internal affairs and cause us so much trouble.

Rishi Poudel
a transport businessman from Sunwal, Nawalparasi

Our expectations from the new constitution to bring radical changes, has become an unfulfilled dream with the present unofficial blockade. The worst thing is that we are even deprived of daily consumable goods like the cooking gas. It is difficult for us to even prepare our own food. In lack of petrol and diesel our business has come to a stand still. If the protest was meant to fulfill our needs, Dashain needs to make ways for people to change the face of the protest.
Neither the government has spoken against India's blockade nor has it made any efforts to develop relations with China. Instead of prioritizing of issues hampering the locals' daily living, politicians are just busy in choosing the next prime minister. We are left hopeless.

Hukum Bahadur Khadka
a rikshaw-rider from Nepalgunj

The blockade has depleted my daily wages. Locals don't even come out of their houses due to the strike. It is very risky to go to Indian markets in Rupaidiha due to fear of the banda enforcers.
I had bought an electric rickshaw by taking bank loan thinking that I would earn more for my family but seems like the country's instability is going to eat out my family's dream also. The little amount I earn goes on to fulfill my daily needs, I have no sources to pay back the loans.
Daily laborers like us are in miserable conditions. Government should take necessary measures to resolve the situation as soon as possible.

Pukari Devi
a housewife from Saruatha VDC, Rautahat

I have been using wood as an alternative to cooking gas. We had never gone through such a long phase of strike. No vehicles can run on the road due to fear of the banda enforcers.
Most shops are shut down. The few which are open are selling goods at exorbitant prices, normally double than the usual prices.
We have to walk 13 kilometers to Bairganiya bazaar, India, to get our daily goods at cheaper rates. The whole day is spent in getting our basic supplies.
The prolonged protests also seriously put forward the nation's discriminatory treatment of the Madhesi community. We are regarded as second class citizens. To avoid the situation from getting worse, the government should resolve the issues immediately.

Birendra Mishra
a teacher from Matsari VDC, Rautahat

Along with other sectors, education of students has also been seriously affected from the ongoing banda. Education sector, which is supposed to be part of the peace zone, has been a victim of political interventions.All educational institutions have remained closed since the last two months. Though the general public is going through so much of trouble, the government has remained mute on addressing the demands of the Madhesi people.