NATIONAL 2 (Spotlight Weekly)]

Mechi To Mahakali

The terai-based party organizes a nation-wide rally to expand its base

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

As its opposition colleagues were busy in stalling the parliament, the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) chose to organize a nation-wide chariot rally along the southern belt of the country.

In the aftermath of the Hrithik Roshan episode last December, which evoked a surge in the hills-plains sentiment among the Nepalese, the terai-based NSP had announced a series of programs to cash in on the conflict. The party found the opportunity too good to resist and began to drum up for the support of the people of terai, popularly known as Madhesis.

Interestingly, the only remaining ally of the G. P. Koirala government in the House, NSP was busy in a nation-wide chariot rally as the parliament remained stalled for more than a month.

NSP's chariot rally : Raising issues close to its heart

Led by party's national chairman Gajendra Narayan Singh, top NSP leaders toured the southern belt of the country -- from Bhadrapur to Mahendranagar -- whipping up the Madhesiya sentiment and calling for greater participation of the community in the national affairs.

Maintaining that there have been discrimination against Madhesiya community since the unification of Nepal more than 200 years ago, the NSP has been demanding for the equal treatment and the inclusion of the community in the national mainstream. Among others, the party criticizes the provisions for citizenship in the present constitution. It calls for the constitutional amendment to provide citizenship to millions of Terai people who, it claims, currently do not have citizenship.

"The so-called nationalism flared up by major political parties in the aftermath of the Hrithik episode must be condemned," said Rajendra Mahato, an NSP lawmaker and spokesman of the party. "How can you strengthen the national unity when nearly half of the country's population is totally cut off and is treated like a foreigner in their own country?"

The party currently has six members in the parliament. Its chairman Singh is the member of the Upper House. Although NSP claims to be the sole savior of the Madhesiyas, its votebank among the Terai electorates has not been improving in the recent elections. The 17 Terai districts send around 40 percent of representatives to the parliament. This volume of representation has left every political party salivating at the prospect of being close to the voters there. That could be one reason why the NSP jumped into the chariot immediately after the Hrithik episode slightly disturbed the ethnic harmony among the hills-plains people. Mahato, however, clarified that the rally was not targeted against any race or community. "We want that the Nepali nationalism should accomodate feelings of all the people within the country," he added.

For a full 18 days, the party took out the chariot procession in different cities. In a typical Terai-style, the party organized colorful rallies attracting hundreds of people to its programs at the district headquarters. Its tour in a decorated chariot was a new idea to hit the Nepalese political parties -- though not original if looked at political parties from India.

"Our rally was a grand success," said Hridayesh Tripathy, general secretary of NSP. "We managed to promote the cause of Madhesiya community."

The unilateral characteristic of the state has been apathetic to a huge community, which has resulted in social tensions, he said asking for the creation of a balanced state.

The NSP claims to be the only political party that genuinely takes up the issues of terai people. "NSP is always committed to the unity among Madhesiyas," said Tripathy.

Coinciding with the National Democracy Day on February 18, the party kicked off its rally from Bhadrapur in Mechi zone. It made many stop-overs in major cities like Rajbiraj, Biratnagar and Lahan where the party leaders addressed the public.

While mostly the leaders talked about uplifting Madhesiya community and amending the constitution to make it easier for the people from the community to get citizenship, its chairman Gajendra Narayan Singh did give Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala some respite by terming the current opposition move of stalling the parliament as unconstitutional.

At a time when there is a clear short supply of Koirala supporters, Singh's soothing words must have brought some relaxation to the beleaguered prime minister.