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Kathmandu Wednesday March 28, 2001 Chaitra 15, 2057.
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Be reformative
I met Gajendra Narayan Singh at a reception
hosted on the eve of Bangladesh National Day (March 26). I heard Singh, an MP and also the
president of Nepal Sadhbhavan Party (NSP), as saying that he was struggling to get
Madhesis (people in Terai) "proper respect and position" in this country.
"I am not interested to pull down the Koirala government. For me, Girija Prasad
Koirala and Madhav Kumar Nepal are two sides of the same coin". He told this to
NCP(UML) MP, Mahendra Ray Yadav in my presence, who pleaded him to support his party in
the battle against the corrupt government.
Compared to people in remote and high hills,
Madhesis are more privileged ones in many ways. They have an easy access to better
education, communication, transportation, farming, business, medical facilities, etc. Why
do they still lag far behind their fellow countrymen? Is it because they are denied
opportunities as NSP has been claiming?
NSP’s agenda is not clear. If Singh is
serious to enhance the status of Terai people, he should launch welfare programmes
beneficial to poor Dalits such as Musahar, Chamar, Sahani and many others
"declared" untouchables. Singh must use his resources to build universities,
hospitals, roads and so on. Singh and his party should launch reform and development
projects at the grassroot level. Rhetoric will not do any good.
The party is creating discord in the name of
Hindi, dhoti and citizenship issues. Such an attitude could push the country towards
regional conflict. Countries embroiled in tragic ethnic clashes have suffered heavy
losses.
Izhar Mikrani
3/28 Battisputali, Kathmandu |
