Madhesi lawmakers protest in Nepal Parl; meeting postponed

Kathmandu: Nepalese lawmakers belonging to Madhes-based parties on Sunday obstructed proceedings at the Parliament over the police firing that killed two protesters following which the meeting was postponed.

Lawmakers from the agitating Joint Democratic Madhesi Front surrounded the rostrum and shouted slogans after the Speaker, Onsari Gharti Magar, refused to grant time to Terai Madhes Democratic Party lawmaker Sarbendra Nath Shukla.

They also demanded stern action against security personnel who were involved in the shooting last night at Saptari in which two Madhesis were killed, local media reported.

The Parliament was adjourned and the next meeting has been scheduled for November 26.

Earlier, Madhes-based Nepali Congress lawmakers refused to take their seats demanding answers from Prime Minister K P Oli, whom they blamed for not being serious towards the agitation by Indian-origin Madhesis.

During today's parliament session, Nepali Congress acting President Ram Chandra Poudel alleged that the government was not willing to resolve the ongoing crisis.

He accused the government of not paying heed towards black marketeering, fuel shortage among other problems facing people.

The government has not done anything to ease the import of essentials, he said, also claiming that it is involved in black marketeering of fuel.

Leader Poudel further urged the government to move ahead with the Constitution Amendment Bill to address the demands of the agitating Madhesi parties.

The Madhesi agitation launched by the Joint Democratic Madhesi Front entered its 100th day today. Over 40 people have were killed during the violent protests in southern Nepal.

Madhesis, the Indian-origin inhabitants of the Terai region, have been protesting against division of their ancestral homeland in the new Constitution. They are also demanding proportionate representation in government mechanism, allocation of Parliament seats on the basis of population and re-demarcation of the federal provinces.