Reservation-affected families have staged a sit-in protest in front of the Kanchanpur District Administration Office. More than 200 displaced families, who arrived in Mahendranagar at around 11 PM on Sunday, began their protest by setting up tents in front of the administration office, demanding resettlement.
These families had been living in temporary huts in the Shankar Community Forest of Krishnapur Municipality. After being evicted by the community forest authorities and local administration, they were forced to move to Mahendranagar on Sunday night.
The displaced families say that the government has been giving false assurances of resettlement for the past two decades, forcing them to live a miserable life. They have started an indefinite sit-in protest, setting up makeshift shelters with tarpaulins, clothes, and food supplies in front of the administration office. During this cold season, they are spending their days and nights on roadside straw bedding, demanding justice and permanent resettlement from the current government.
Chairperson of the Reservation Victims Struggle Committee, Jay Bahadur Rokaya, said that although previous governments repeatedly made commitments to solve their issues, nothing has been done so far. He accused political leaders of deceiving them with false promises and stated that they have now launched a final phase of protest by building temporary camps in front of the administration office.
He demanded that their problems be resolved immediately and that they be resettled in their original settlements.
Amrita Nepali, one of the displaced, who was seen filling buckets of water for cooking, said her three sons work as laborers in India to support their family. She complained that the Nepal government has continuously ignored their demands.
Similarly, Hansh Od stated that he has been taking part in protests demanding resettlement for the past 18 years. He accused authorities of giving false assurances instead of addressing the genuine problems of the poor and displaced.
There are 2,473 displaced families in the district. Among them, more than 200 families have reached Mahendranagar to begin the protest, while others are living under difficult conditions in Dhakka Chaundev and various other areas. The displaced families have warned of launching a more intense movement if their demands are not addressed by the government soon.
About the Author
