Madhesis call off border blockade

Kathmandu, February 8

Nepal’s Madhesis, protesting against a new Constitution, today called off their nearly five-month-long crippling blockade at the border with India that led to severe shortages of fuel, medicine and other essentials in the landlocked nation and strained Indo-Nepal ties.

“Considering the current crisis facing the nation and the public necessity and aspirations, the ongoing protest programmes of general strike, border blockade, government office shutdown have been called off for now,” the United Democratic Madhesi Front  said. “The agitation will continue till our demands are addressed,” said the statement issued after the meeting of UDMF leaders, three days after angry traders from both sides burned down tents set up by agitating Madhesis on Friday.

The “UDMF leaders decided to withdraw their ongoing protest programmes,” Laxman Lal Karna, the Vice Chairman of Sadbhawana Party, said. The announcement to end the border blockade comes ahead of Prime Minister K P Oli’s trip to India on February 19, the first overseas visit of the new Nepalese premier. — PTI