Gupta urges accord with armed rebels

JANAKPUR, Feb 14: Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) co-chairman and Minister for Agriculture Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta has claimed that Madhesi rights would be attained within a year if the armed rebels and the Madhesi party were to reach an agreement. [break]

Speaking at the inauguration of Radio Chhinnamasta in Rajbiraj, Saptari on Saturday, Gupta emphasized the need for consensus between the two forces and requested the rebels not to resort to arms for a few days even if they cannot renounce weapons for good.

"You just stop the use of weapons, we will ensure a powerful Madhes within a year," Gupta claimed.

He urged the rebels not to obstruct development work and asked them to seek a political solution to a political problem. He also urged senior rebel leaders to differentiate between political and no-political action.

Gupta said MPRF was in favor of a single Madhes state but stressed that he was also in favor of cordial relations with the Pahades of the northern belt, which is a must for the formation a single Madhes.

He said MPRF has joined the government for the sake of Madhesis and vowed to be the first to take up arms if he fails to deliver while remaining in government.

Related story

Journalists who perished in the Maoist armed conflict in Nepal