Nepali Times

"Ethnic states not possible", Nepal

Interview with Upendra Yadav, chairman of MJF (Nepal), 11 March

From the Nepali Press
From The Nepali Press | From Issue #595 (March 9-15, 2012)

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA
What happened to the slogan of One Madhes?
Federalism is an achievement of the Madhes movement. All seven parties agreed to an autonomous Madhes and the 8 and 22 point agreements clearly mention this clause. There are three reasons why we are going for federalism: high economic growth, good governance and end discrimination. If these concerns are addressed, the federal structure should not be an issue.

You have said that three to four Madhesi states can be agreed upon.
Firstly states will be made on the basis of identity and capacity, not ethnicity. Secondly, ethnic states are not possible in Nepal. Let's say we form a Newa state in Kathmandu because Newars have a majority here. But they can't have more rights than other people who live in Kathmandu. Likewise, everyone living in the Madhes, regardless of whether they are Pahadis or Madhesis will have equal rights. No group will have special rights over the other.

How can a pro-Madhes party like yours embrace Pahadi people as its own?
Our party is active in 30 districts, out of which eight are in the hilly region. We have two central committee members who are of hill origin. We won't repeat the discrimination that we ourselves had to endure. Our fight is not against any community. We just want the state to stop its discriminatory practices.

Will we have the new constitution within the deadline?
Not at the pace we are going. Now we hear there is a conspiracy to bring out a constitution without federalism. This is unacceptable. If this happens it will be a betrayal to the Madhes movement and the people's uprising of 2006.

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Comments (Archive)

  • who cares

    99% madeshis are not nepalese, if we get read of around 5million foreigners, we well save around 50billion, create about 3million jobs. with 50bill we can start one major project in every one or a couple of years.. with 3mill jobs, no nepalese will be forced to visit south for seasonal jobs. we will be self sufficient in agriculture. our balance of foreign trade will be positive. madeshi nepali will live prosperous life. they will be riding in Mercedes just like the farmers in US, panjab . foreigners with nepali citizen is the root cause of many ills.

  • Kushal Singh

    Upendra sir, I really didn't understand here " Firstly states will be made on the basis of identity and capacity, not ethnicity". What does it mean? How do you measure up the states based on identity which is contradictory itself with "not ethnicity". What other factors/bases are you going to make federalism on identity, if not the ethnicity..are they religion, culture, tradition or language? If you have imagined of making Identity based federalism directly or indirectly the ethnic identity would come first which enclaves all above components of the IDentity of an ethnic group and you can not avoid ethnic identity completely, because whatever conflict structurally or in underlying is for ethnic identity. If the raising hand doesn't get a part of power, nepal wouldn't go in stability politically, socially and really that makes group conflict in Nepal. You are a representative of Madhesh people and if you speak like that the ethnic based people might go against whole madhesh which sooner or later would bring enmity in between you "now in power" and those striving for power" ethnic people". Thanks