Kathmandu, May 22

The talks between the government and the agitating Tharu Joint Struggle Committee has been postponed till next day after they failed to reach conclusion on Tuesday.

In the talks, the Struggle Committee demanded the government to devise autonomous Tharuhat province from Kanchanpur to Chitwan, keep 22 Tarai districts undivided, and address the atrocities during the Akhanda far west agitation.

Chairman of Tharu Kalyankarini Sabha and talks team coordinator from the agitating side, Chandra Kumar Tharu accused the government of ignoring their demands to hold talks at the earliest. The withdrawal of our protests depends on how the government appears in the talks, he added.

The Struggle Committee has continued banda (general shutdown) and protests in 22 Tarai districts since May 14, demanding Tharu autonomous state.

The talks team from the government side comprised coordinator and Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Surya Man Gurung, Irrigation Minister Mahendra Prasad Yadav and Energy Minister Radha Gyawali.

Similarly, the talks team from the agitating sides had Laxman Tharu, Upendra Gachchhadar, Ram Charan Chaudhari, Bala Dev Tharu and others.