Fresh deal to end Madhes deadlock

Madhesi parties to allow House proceedings The agitating Madhesi parties and the seven-party alliance took a major leap forward today to end the crippling deadlock that has disrupted the CA proceedings for the last two weeks. But the Madhesi parties said they were still unhappy with the SPA draft of ... ...agreement based on an earlier discussion with them.The new draft of agreement, approved by the cabinet, was tabled in the legislative session of the Assembly that met late in the evening but the session was adjourned till tomorrow, as the Madhesi parties wanted more time to discuss the draft among their MPs.“We did not have enough time to read the bill today,” senior leader of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar said.“Madhesi parties have not reversed their nod, it is just that they want some more time to discuss the bill,” Maoist chief Prachanda said.“Recognising aspirations of the Madhesis, indigenous and ethnic nationalities, provinces will be autonomous and will have full authority,” according to the new bill. There will neither be “One Madhes or Tarai province” nor “autonomous Madhes provinces across Tarai”.“Keeping intact the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the nation, the boundaries of autonomous provinces, numbers, names and the structures, including the details of centre and provinces, resources, and allocation of resources will be determined by the Constituent Assembly,” the bill states.On issue of inclusive participation of Madhesis in Nepal Army, the SPA has agreed to use the terminology “In order to ensure national character of Nepal Army and make it an inclusive organ, the entry of Madhesis, indigenous, ethnic nationalities, Dalits, women and people of backward regions into Nepal Army will be done on the basis of the principle of equality and inclusiveness by enacting laws.Earlier, MJF chairman Upendra Yadav said they still differed and opposed the agreement but they would not picket the rostrum for the time being, as there was an urgency to form a new government and present the budget in the House.TMDP leader Sarbendra Nath Shukla said the Madhesi parties would bring an amendment proposal to the bill to continue with the “struggle for an autonomous Madhes province”.Prachanda said the agreement had opened the door not only to put the House proceedings back on track butalso prepared the foundation of a new constitution.But NWPP refrained from signing the agreement while the United Left Front wrote a note of dissent on the rhetorics and said the federal provinces, by virtue of their nature, are independent and autonomous to exercise their rights guaranteed in the constitution.•Provinces will be autonomous •Boundaries, numbers, names and structures of provinces and allocation of resources to them to be fixed by the CA •The bill mum on “One Madhes or Tarai province” or “autonomous Madhes provinces across Tarai” •Nepal Army to be made inclusive based on the principle of equality and inclusiveness

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