Nepal's Madhesis seek India's support

SONAULI (UP): The Madhesi community, which has been agitating against the newly-adopted Constitution of Nepal, has sought "moral" support from India to "force" the Himalayan nation to accept its demands.

"We want India to extend moral support to us... India's support is crucial for us... It will force Nepal to effect necessary changes in the Constitution and accommodate our concerns as well," says Rajendra Mahato, national president of Sadbhawana Party of Nepal.

The ongoing agitation by the Madhesis has further intensified with the members of the community squatting on the roads blocking movement of vehicles on the border here.

Senior Madhesi leaders from Rupandehi district in Nepal have accused Maoist leader Prachand of misleading the people and throwing the country into chaos and anarchy.

"We want share in the Constitution in proportion to our numerical strength," Mahendra Yadav, president of the district Madhesi Front in Rupandehi, had told the agitators last week.

"We will never accept a Constitution which does not take our interest into account," he said.

Other Madhesi leaders, who also addressed the agitators, made it clear that their protest would continue till their demands are met.

The Madhesis are upset that the Constitution divides the country into seven states with some borders slicing through their ancestral plains. The Madhesis, along with several other small ethnic group, also want the states to be larger and be given more autonomy over local matters.

Agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front formed a human chain along the highway in 22 districts in the plains from Mechi to Mahakali, Nepal as part of its protest.