Dr. Yadav raises Madhes issues at UN Minority Forum

Kathmandu, Dec,1:  Madhesi Ekta Samaj has raised the demands and issues of the Madhesi people at the UN Minority Forum. Samaj’s International Committee Coordinator, Dr. Rabindra Kumar Yadav, expressed the views on behalf of the Madhesi community at the 17^th meeting of the UN Minority Forum in Geneva, Switzerland on November 29, Friday.

During the meeting, Dr Yadav stated that the minority communities, including the Madhesi, have not received proper justice and rights in Nepal even after the promulgation of the new constitution in 2015.

Dr. Yadav, who is also the founder of the Samaj, an umbrella organisation of Madhesis living abroad, said that although Nepal is a multi-ethnic and multicultural country, the state continues to discriminate against the Madhesi community, which constitutes one-third of the population.

He said that the Khas-Arya community has maintained control over all domains, including politics, business, security agencies and media, making the Madhesis and others marginal.

Stating that since the establishment of the modern Nepal state, the Madhesis have had to face harsh citizenship laws, unjust political representation and a land reform system that has confiscated their property, Dr. Yadav said that the official use of only the Khas-Arya language in the civil service examination has deprived the Madhesis of government services.

Dr. Yadav argued that the exclusion of Madhesi languages ​​in education and administration has led to a high dropout rate among Madhesi children and this has increased the illiteracy rate among the Madhesis.

He further said, ‘Due to the discriminatory policies of the state, the representation of Madhesis in the civil service, security agencies, the Nepali Army and the judiciary is very low.

He complained that despite the Madhesi community contributing 70 percent to Nepal’s agricultural production and large remittances from abroad, the Madhesis have not received a fair share of the state’s budget and revenue.

Stating that no museum or national institution in Nepal has given due space and recognition to the history, culture and contributions of Madhes, Dr. Yadav said that Madhesis are often portrayed negatively in the country's cinema and TV programmes.

On that occasion, Dr. Yadav demanded proportional representation, equal opportunities, cultural recognition and an end to discriminatory laws against the Madheshi community in state bodies.

Similarly, he also called on the international community to take meaningful initiatives and create pressure for the establishment of just rights, identity, justice and dignity of the Madhesis in Nepal.

Earlier, speaking at another sideline programme on minority issues in Geneva, Switzerland on November 28, Thursday, Dr. Yadav had expressed his views on the demands, problems and issues of the Madhesi community, who have been marginalised and treated unjustly in the country for centuries.