Dedicated to Daniel Pearl

The terai unrest which continued for more than fifteen days and claimed over two dozen lives left a bitter lesson for all political parties. I guess it is the bitterest for the Maoists, who used to claim the terai is under their control. I would say the terai Aandolan (movement) swept away not only the Maoists but it also challenged other political parties; especially Nepali Congres, UML and the Nepal Sadbhawana Party. Oh yes, the 15-day movement was a boon for Upendra Yadav, the chairman of the so-called Madheshi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF). Yadav, who was dismissed by the Maoists in the past, in fact challenged the Maoists and other political parties, who used to brag about their strength in the terai, has strongly secured his position in the terai. It’s interesting, Yadav, though he doesn’t have a party (MPRF is not a party as such), could become a hero over night. Yadav jee, luck has supported you. As Nepalis say if the moon is on your right side, nobody can harm you (Chandrama Dahina Bhaye, Kasaiko Kehi Lagdaina), you won the battle. I have some reservations over the terai unrest. Although the movement was for genuine cause, the royalists and I would say Indians infiltrated the protests and made them very violent.

Yesterday, I heard a news that the Maoist cadres obstructed the mass meeting of MPRF in Rupandehi. It shows how scared and insecured are the Maoists now after the terai movement. They are specially much scared and much irritated at the same time with the MPRF because the stronger the MPRF becomes, the weaker becomes the Maoists in the terai. This is also because Prachanda scheduled his 15-day special program for terai and he has been speaking at various forums in the terai. But it’s not as easy as the Maoists and other political parties are thinking to win the heart and soul of the terai people; especially after the terai unrest. I am sure the terai people have generated the feeling of ethnicity after the movement. They are looking for especially the person of the terai origin and I am sure they will vote for such candidates only. It also squarely put a pressure upon all other political parties to select the candidates of terai origin in the terai region. Otherwise, the Pahadi candidate, no matter how good and competent he may be, can’t win the elections.

Once again, Yadav has emerged as the strongest candidate for the terai region. I advise Yadav jee not to play the ethnic/communal card and not to flare the communal feeling. It will divide the nation and it will ultimately harm all the Nepalese people. I would appreciate, if Yadav gets elected and raises those genuine issues, suppressed for years, in the parliament.