“A joint meeting of the leaders scheduled for Wednesday will form a taskforce and formulate terms of references (ToR),” Hridayash Tripathi, vice-chairman of Tarai Madhesh Democratic Party (TMDP), told Republica following a two-day meeting held in Dhulikhel. Tharu and Madhesh-based leaders of different political parties were also present in the meeting. [break]
He said the taskforce will also hold discussions with leaders representing Muslims, Dalits and Pahadi communities living in the Tarai regions.
Tharu and Madhesh-based leaders agreed on the need to fight unitedly for ensuring their rights and making the country a federal republic.
“It was our common understanding that neither Tharu nor Madheshi community can achieve their rights without an alliance between them,” Laxman Tharu, Coordinator of United Tharuhat Struggle Committee, told Republica.
He said Tharu and Madhesh-based leaders are close to an agreement on the states to be formed in the Tarai region under the federal republic system.
The meeting also concluded that divisions and differences between the forces of Tarai regions would only benefit anti-federalism forces.
“Both sides agreed not to be mute spectators if the major tasks of writing new constitution and concluding the peace process are not achieved even within the extended term of the Constituent Assembly,” Laxman Tharu added.
Tharu and Madhesh-based leaders claimed the meeting was fruitful in resolving differences between the two sides. Tharu community had called strikes on several occasions in the past against the proposal of forming a Madhesh state.
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