The Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) led by Jaya Krishna Goit has said it has kidnapped District Education Officer (DEO), Nibh Raj Joshi of Saptari district as part of its campaign to disrupt the upcoming constituent assembly (CA) poll.
According to media reports, JTMM-Goit, Saptari coordinator Shyam, informed Joshi was abducted as a signal not to conduct constituent assembly polls by Nepal Government in the Tarai as the region has been declared independent.
Saying that there is no need of a constituent assembly for the people of Tarai origin, Shyam said they abducted Joshi after he did not meet their demand of providing Rs. 5 million donation for the JTMM’s people’s war.
However, the ruling eight parties ruling alliance have agreed to hold the elections of the constituent assembly on 20th June.
The JTMM has been involved in violent protests in Terai region demanding independent Terai state. It is the splinter from the Maoists party.
With such uncertainty in the Terai region and lack of proper arrangement necessary to conduct CA election how can the forthcoming CA poll be free and fair and conducted in the stipulated time?
Even the election commission has publicly demanded the speedy actions from the government regarding the needed policy clarifying the modalities of the election as well as the number of constituencies for CA.
Why do we need the election of CA? Is not it for sake of sustaining peace and democracy and to guarantee the people their rights? If it is conducted without proper arrangements and in a hurry can not it become a bone of contention to flare up further bloodshed? Can Nepal just conduct CA election for sake of conducting election only? Did not we watch election conducted by the King's regime last year?
Does not the eight party alliance government need to act seriously to solve problems of the terai, chure vaber and other areas before conducting CA election?
