Sunita Sah - How long must Madhesh and the Madhesi people be forced to endure treatment as second-class citizens by the state? The state appears determined to ruin Birgunj, the economic capital of the country and the only metropolis in Madhesh.
25 yards in Hetauda, 16 meters in Kathmandu's Kalanki-Tripureshwor road section, and 25 meters in Birgunj! What kind and nature of justice is this from the Supreme Court? This raises serious questions.
The Tribhuvan Highway (H02) section from Pathlaiya to Miteri Bridge in Birgunj was shifted towards the Dry Port (ICD) and Integrated Check Post (ICP) customs in Pathlaiya-Sirsiya (Bahuwari) by a Cabinet decision dated 2072/05/21 BS. Currently, the 25-meter, 6-lane Tribhuvan Highway along that route has already been constructed and brought into operation. Under such circumstances, how practical is it to try applying the 25-meter (165-foot) highway standard again from the Gandak entry point of Birgunj city to Miteri Bridge?
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When sufficient alternative routes are available in Birgunj, the intention to destroy a historic and ancient city with dense settlements and trade-business, making house owners on both sides of the road homeless, cannot be justified. Forcibly applying highway standards through the middle of the city is the result of state cruelty and immaturity.
As passed by the second session of the Municipal Assembly in 2075 BS, Birgunj Metropolitan City recently (in Asar 2083 BS) sent letters to the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration requesting road expansion maintaining a 15-meter 'Right of Way'. However, the Director General of the Department of Roads shelving that letter for over two months re-proves the extreme discrimination and injustice being committed against Madhesh and the Madhesi people.
Must we always endure treatment as second-class citizens by the state just because we belong to the Madhesi community? I sincerely appeal to the media—the fourth estate of the state—civil society, and Mayor Rajesh Man Singh of Birgunj Metropolitan City to take prompt, just initiatives and conduct an investigation into this matter to secure constitutional rights for thousands of suffering citizens.
