KATHMANDU: Janamat Party Chairman Dr. CK Raut has warned of obstructing local level elections if the government is not inclined to address the demands of the farmers’ movement.
Speaking at a press conference in Birgunj on Wednesday, Chairman Raut said that local level elections were unthinkable unless the demands of the farmers’ movement are fulfilled.
“It is necessary to think about local level elections after addressing farmers’ demands. I can’t say all across the country but in the Terai-Madhesh, from Jhapa to Kailali Kanchanpur, we will obstruct the local elections if farmers’ woes are not addressed,” he said.
Stating the Janamat Party was not against the election, Chairman Raut said, “We are eagerly looking forward to the polls. Before before that, the government should at least take initiation to address farmers’ demands.” However, he acknowledged that the farmers’ problems would not solve in one day.
He was of the view that the elections would not be very different than in the past. “The same few faces are going to repeat and regardless of whose government it will be, the agenda is going to remain the same. Therefore, this government should have shown readiness to address farmers plight,” he said.
Chair Raut accused the leaders of running after foreigners’ interests by discarding the memorandum of the farmers’ movement.
He also announced that the next phase of agitation would start from February 13 while clarifying that protest programs moved to rural areas from areas of East-West Highway.
He alleged that the Agriculture Minister did not even want to listen to the demands of the farmers despite him being from Madhes. Chairman Raut lamented that the government’s apathy to hear farmers plight though the agitation has been going on for a month and a half.
He said they put forth their demands with the federal government as issues raised had to be resolved through long-term solutions by enacting farmer-related laws.
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