Should The MJF Indefinite Strike Continue? Yes

There are many Madhesi activisits and leaders who are saying there is no longer any need for strikes, that the demands have been fulfilled. The Pahadi parties have used their Madhesi henchmen in places like Morang and Nepalgunj to counterorganize against the strikes. If 49% of the seats in the constituent assembly will be from the Terai, that does sound like a fair deal. So why bother? And all eight parties have come around to being for federalism. And the proportional election demand is more to do with the Janajati Movement, but the Janajatis have not expressed any explicit solidarity with the Madhesi Movement. They have not asked for the Home Minister's resignation, for example. They have not asked that a probe commission be formed. Should not the Madhesi Movement let go its one sided love affair with the Janajati Movement? The Janajatis have been more than neutral. They have been explicitly anti-Madhesi in several ways, like this senior Tharu leader in the Telegraph article below. Senior Madhesis in the interim parliament - people like Bimalendra Nidhi and Rajendra Mahto, people I know, respect and admire - have come out saying there is no longer any need for strikes. They have come out saying the Home Minister's resignation is not necessary. All this has led to some confusion in the ranks, I must admit.

It was a mistake to call off the Terai Band on February 7 in the first place. It was the movement's mistake to not have had a clear agenda. The agenda right then should have been that the Home Minister must resign and a probe commission must be formed, or the strikes would continue. Momentum was lost.

But then a powerless, marginalized people rose up for the first time. I am not surprised the Maghe Kranti was not picture perfect. The Madhesi Janadhikar Forum was a tiny outfit before the Maghe Kranti. Now it is huge. It is much better positioned now.

This is early stage. It will take some time to create the momentum all over again. But at least this time the agenda is clear. Unless the Home Minister resigns, and a probe commission is formed, we are not going to stop.

The Congressi Madhesis never spoke for Madhesi rights in the 1990s. They made the Sadbhavana people look revolutionary. The Sadbhavana people spent the 1990s looking down upon the Madhesis, looking down upon them for their mental slavery, their unwillingness to back the Sadbhavana agenda of Madhesi rights. Now the tables have been turned. Now it is the Madhesi people who have left the Sadbhavana in the dust. The people are ahead, the Sadbhavana is behind. The Congressi Madhesis never counted on Madhesi rights. They are not going to count now.

Rajendra Mahto and Bimalendra Nidhi are thinking more of their chaitime with Krishna Sitaula than of the Madhesi masses. They are definitely not thinking of the 40 Madhesi martyrs. In April the king also tried to quieten things down by announcing 15 lakh each to the families of the martyred. Did we get off the streets then? Abhi to ye log shahid bhi ghosana nahin kiye hain.

This is an issue based movement. Anyone can express solidarity and join. But no solidarity can be expressed that will take the issues away from the movement.

With the Bahuns you have to be ready to play chess, you have to be ready to play mindgames. Girija's strategy is to prove the MJF does not matter, that the MJF is an insignificant outfit. I am sure that is his fantassy. You can not blame Girija for not wanting the MJF to wipe out the Congress from the Madhesh. But you do have to blame him for the utter disrespect he has shown towards the 40 Madhesi martyrs.

Girija's primary identity is not that he is a democrat. His primary identity is that he is a Pahadi Bahun, a Khas Bahun. Bahunism is his ideology. That is why he gets along so well with Bahuns like Prachanda.

Used to be that the Bahuns like Ram Chandra Poudel used to say the two Congress parties have to become one again otherwise the Maoists might loom large. They no longer say that. Now that Bahun is out saying the two Congress parties have to become one otherwise the country will disintegrate. To Poudel Bahun federalism is disintegration. He feels he and his fellow Bahuns are entitled to rule for generations.

The Madhesi Movement does not depend on the Janajati Movement. Political arithmetic and logic suggest it would make great sense for the Janajati Movement to ally with the Madhesi Movement. But it can choose not to. Perhaps the Janajatis are just more of the prejudiced Pahadis. We will tackle them also. The Madhesi Movement is sufficient unto itself. If the Janajatis stay away, that is to their disadvantage.

This guy Bhulai Chaudhary, General Secretary, Tharu Welfare Society, is spewing venom. Has this guy heard of ancient kingdoms like Mithila and Birat? Presumably not. The Adivasi Janajati Mahasangh is going to have to decide. It will have to decide if it wants to ally with the Madhesi Movement or not.

The Pahadi media's hostility is obvious. They are making it sound like the strike is not working when the truth is most Terai districts are shut down.

The lull is the lull before the storm. Wait for the storm. Create the storm.

Girija's strategy is to demoralize the Madhesi Movement, to disrespect the 40 Madhesi martyrs, to send a clear message to the Madhesi masses that the inequality is here to stay, that the Madhesis do not matter after all. That is not going to fly.

Girija Bahun Baje Dumbass
Madhesi Janajati Kranti: Victory Scenarios
Ensuring Ethnic And Gender Representation In The Constituent Assembly
Madhesi Janajati Kranti: Confusion, Clarity
Madhesi Janajati Kranti: A Few Scenarios
Elections In November
Why Will Girija Not Seek A Common Sense Solution?
Bill On Political Parties
पुरे देशको प्यारालाइज कर दो
Nepalgunj II: This Is A Repeat
Eighth State: Khasan

Krishna Sitaula's Resignation: Why It Is Important
Krishna Sitaula Not Going Risks Everything
38 Martyrs = Go, Krishna Sitaula, Go
Why Krishna Sitaula Has To Go
Sitaula Resign, Koirala Declare Madhesh State, Now

In The News

Prachanda directs party cadres to 'behave' NepalNews
Maoists should stop forceful acts before joining interim govt: NC
Senior US official to visit Nepal
Defiance of MJF strike in various districts In Morang, local administration, with the help of eight parties, civil society and the parties affected by the banda, have opened up shops, markets, factories, transportation services and educational institutions. The local administration has also reopened the Biratnagar customs office that had been locked up by MJF cadres since the last ten days. .... Jhapa remains unaffected by the banda with market places, factories, transportation services and educational institutions open. ..... in district headquarters like Kalaiya, Jeetpur, Parwanipur, Bariarpur and Ginjbhavanipur, all markets, transportation services and educational institutions remain closed ...... Nawalparasi, however, remains affected by the strike. Marketplaces in headquarters like Parasi, Maheshpur and Gobigunj remain shut. ...... Nepalgunj bazaar was also open along with significant vehicular movement.
Prime Minister, UML leaders discuss formation of interim govt agreed to form an interim government before March 15. .... Koirala has also assured the UML leaders that he will call an all party meeting to decide the formation of interim government and fix dates for the elections of the constituent assembly within two or three days.
Parties issue whip to pass statute amendment proposal

Nepal Maoists Seek Constitutional Amendment To Remove King Playfuls.com, Romania
Two US, UK Senior Ministers To Visit Nepal Soon All Headline News
Nepal to step up security on India border PeaceJournalism.com, Nepal
NEPAL:Defiance of MJF strike in various districts PeaceJournalism.com, Nepal
Nepal alliance agrees to amend interim statue to incorporate Terai ... Malaysia Sun
Defiance of MPRF strike continues countrywide Kantipur Online, Nepal in Dohabi, Sunsari, forum cadres have locked up nearly half a dozen government offices ..... the strike continues to affect like in Bara, Parsa and Saptari. ...... traffic remains nil on the Birgunj-Patlaiya and Kalaiya-Birgunj stretch of the Mahendra highway ...... in district headquarters like Kalaiya, Jeetpur, Parwani pur, Bariarpur and Ginjbhavanipur all markets, transportation services and educational institutions remain closed. ...... In Rajbiraj, the headquarters of Saptari, a few shops are open. ..... Nawalparasi, however, remains affected by the strike. Marketplaces in headquarters like Parasi, Maheshpur and Gobigunj remain shut.
Nepal paralyzed by strike PeaceJournalism.com, Nepal An indefinite general strike called by a regional group in Nepal has paralyzed life across the southern Terai plains for the second straight day.
THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF MADHESHI COMMUNITY RESEMBLES MORE TO THE ... Telegraphnepal.com, Nepal Bhulai Chaudhary General Secretary, Tharu Welfare Society ..... In Tharu language ‘Tar’ means low, thus Tarai word is derived from Tharu language .... In the beginning Tharus, alone, inhabited the Tarai. ..... After eradicating Malaria in 2019 B.S, the government started felling trees in order to make space for the increasing population. It was at this time people from India and hilly region in Nepal, migrated to the Tarai plains which in essence was and still is a Tharuhat. ..... sooner than later the Tharus in their own Tharuhat might face extinction. ..... People, deliberate or otherwise call Tarai as Madhesh, which it is not. ...... Tarai is not Madhesh. Thus, it would be an injustice to call Tarai a Madhesh. ..... When Fahiyan reached Mathura- on the banks of Jamuna river, he termed the southern mid land as ‘Madhesh’ - the land of Rajputs. ..... According to Nepalese historian Dr. Babu Ram Acharya, in the north from Ambala upto Prayag in the south Madhyadesh (Madhesh) is situated. ...... if it analyzed properly the Concept of Madhesh, the Himalayasmean “Himanchal Pradesh”, which is situated in the western side of Nepal in the Indian Territory. ...... it is proved that Madhesh was situated in Uttar Pradesh of India or on the south of Vindhyachal hill or nearby Vindhyachal, and those inhabiting there were known as Madheshi. ..... “The early 20^th century clearing of Tarai forest and almost simultaneous famine in the neighboring states of and Awadh forced many Indians to choose a life of considerable difficulty in the plains of Nepal. Overtime, they became to be known as Madhesis- the people of Madhesh. ...... They are just giving an imaginary name “Madhesh” and due to relation with it they are trying with might and mind to prove through organizations, and also with the support of some political parties and making all these as a ladder to prove that Madheshis are ancient inhabitants of Tarai. ...... I wan to put the fact that ”Bajiya” is of Tharu language that implies the meaning for people from out side or from Brajee Republic. As time went by the people from hill region migrated to Tarai and heard the word “Bajiya” from the Tharus repeatedly, the hill people considered the word Bajya as a derogatory word. This later was interpreted by the Nepali dictionary as a word which denoted some sort of abuse. Thus there was distortion of the word. ...... Tarai is not Madesh but Tharuhat. .... Madhesh was and still a part of India. However, in present time, Nepal Government, exploiters of Tharus and colonists are hatching a new strategy to exploit the Tharus by establishing a non-existent entity as a Madesh state. ...... We all Tharus must come together unitedly and protest the arrangement that allows space for the Madheshis. ...... If we fail to understand the gravity of the situation, we might push the nation to become a colony of some powers. .... I hope that all Nepalese people will put their efforts in scrapping the decisions taken in the recent months by the government, political parties including the Maoists in order to save Tharuhat. ...... [Mr Chaudhary is currently a member of the NEFIN talks team with the Government, representing Tharu Community]