Dhangadi, May 13:

Normal life in the Far Western Development Region came to a halt for the 17th consecutive day Sunday due to the general strike called by the Joint Far West Struggle Committee.

After the talks held between the representatives of the struggle committee and the government Saturday failed to yield any outcome, the Far-West region people continued their protests.

Besides the nine districts of the Far-West, several districts in other regions of the country were affected by the bandhs called by several ethnic and other groups.

The general strike called by Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal crippled normal life in several districts of the central Terai Sunday.

The Forum imposed the bandh demanding ‘One Madhes One Pradesh’ and implementation of the past agreements reached with the government.

In Saptari, all markets, schools, factories remained closed completely while the vehicles were off the road from early morning.

More than a dozen of vehicles were stranded at Rupani Bazaar along the East-West highway. The passengers stranded in Bardhagat area were provided lunch by the cadres of the Forum Nepal, said Dinesh Kumar Yadav, vice-president of Saptari Forum Nepal.

Similarly, in Parsa, normal life in and around Birgunj came to a standstill due to shutdown enforced by Forum Nepal.

MJF-N cadres took to the streets in different parts of Birgunj including Power House Chowk, Maisthan, Ghantaghar and Murli since early morning obstructing the vehicular movement.

Vehicles plying along the long and short routes from and to Birgunj came to a complete halt. Academic institutions were also shut down.

MJF-N Parsa chairman Pradeep Yadav said Madhes shutdown was enforced to exert pressure on the government for ‘One Madhesh One Pradesh’ provision in the new constitution.
Meanwhile, the shutdown announced by the United Democratic National Party threw normal life out of gear in the eastern terai.

The party enforced the bandh demanding establishment of ethnic-identity based federal states.

The people in Rautahat

faced two bandhs at once as the strike called by the MJF-N also affected normal life.

Transport services, shops and academic institutions were shut down. Hundreds of passengers were stranded in Gaur, the district headquarters, as the vehicles remained off the road.

Similarly, in Sarlahi, the strike paralysed normal life. Cadres of the Forum took to the street by burning tyres. The bandh also affected the examination of grade XI that began Sunday.

Meanwhile, in Kanchanpur, Rana Tharu community, announced a separate bandh in the region demanding an autonomous Rana Tharu state. They have demanded that Kanchanpur should be declared a separate Rana Tharu autonomous state.

The Rana- Tharu community said they would announce indefinite strike in two districts – Kailali and Kanchanpur --- from May 14 until their demands were addressed.

They have also scheduled to organize mass rally and gatherings on May 16 at Ghusadi Bazaar of Bhimduttangar.

Similarly, most all government offices, schools, vehicles, factories and institutions were shut down.

Bandh announced for integrated Mid-western region was however lifted up keeping in view to the convention of the Rana-Tharu in Kohalpur areas.

But the bandha announced by Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal affected the programme of Rana-Tharu in Kohalpur.

Forum cadres demonstrated in several parts of Nepalgunj . Chandra Bahadur Chaudhary, coordinator of Joint Tharu Struggle Committee, said they would shut down the area from May 14 to 18.