Madhesi leaders seek Indian backing
POST REPORT
NEW DELHI, Feb 9 - Madheshi leaders have urged Indian leaders to cooperate in helping them attain their demands for federal structure, constitutional right to Hindi language and assurance of their representation in parliament and all other organs of government.
In a press meet organized at the Press Club of India by Madheshi Front, a recently organized joint forum of Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF), they urged Indian leaders to help preserve their identity in Nepal.
The Madhesi leaders also said the Prime Minister's address on Wednesday was a positive step to resolve the issues of Madhesi groups. They however, expressed doubt over the implementation of the government's commitment in this regard.
Lawmaker of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Renu Yadav, one of the members in the 40-member team, said, "They came to India to apprise Indian leaders about the problems faced by Madhesi people in Nepal."
During their three-day visit to India, Madhesi leaders also handed over a two-page long memorandum to Indian leaders. The memorandum has sought help from Indian leaders in collecting census of the Terai region before constituent assembly polls and assurance that the land of Madhesis will not be provided to non-Madhesis in the name of land reforms.
The Madhesi delegation also met General Secretary of Communist Party of India AB Bardan, Speaker Prakash Jabedkar and lawmaker Ananda Singh.
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Here is their next demand.