Interaction with Prof Hari Bansh Jha on the Madhesi Uprising in Nepal

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On 04 December 2015, the VIF invited Hari Bansh Jha, Professor of Economics, Nepal’s Tribhuvan’s University for an interaction on the current political uprising in Nepal and its implications, especially for India. Prof. Jha presented an insightful analysis of how systemically over the years the government of Nepal through a series of discriminatory measures has marginaslised the Madeshi population (people settled in the Terai region of Nepal), a problem of growing magnitude that has also strained India-Nepal bilateral relations to some extent in recent months. While Madeshis with over 50 percent of the population are the largest original inhabitants of Nepal, they occupy only 17 percent of the total land area. A rice basket with large industrial base,
the Madhesh region contributes significantly to Nepal’s economy, but it receives only 20 percent of the total budgetary support. Facing a serious identity crisis due to state encouraged migration taking place from north to south, the Madeshi are perceivably reduced to a second class citizen status. Their patience however finally ran out when Nepal last September promulgated a ‘regressive’ Constitution, seriously undercutting their administrative and political rights.

A few of the contentious provisions of Nepal’s new Constitution - provincial boundaries, delimitation of the constituencies, and proportionate representations, among others, were prominently discussed during the interactive session. With General NC Vij, Director, VIF, moderating the discussions, Lt Gen Ravi Sawhney, CD Sahay, Amb TCA Rangachari and Amb Tariq Karim, among others, interacted with Prof Hari Bansh Jha.