Kathmandu, February 4
Sadbhavana Party President and United Democratic Madheshi Front leader Rajendra Mahato says he is in favour of reopening the Birgunj customs, Nepal’s most vital trade point. Mahato said he will push forth a proposal to this effect at the UDMF.
“The shutdown continuing at Birgunj has caused hardships to people, but has failed to pile pressure on the KP Oli government,” Mahato told Onlinekhabar. “So, why keep causing hardships to people. Why keep a customs point shut, while other customs points have been operating?” he wondered. We cannot continue with a movement, without changing its form, for 12 months, Mahato said after his return from Bihar where he and other leaders of the United Democratic Madheshi Front had held talks with Indian leader Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Mahato’s standpoint comes a day after another UDMF leader Mahantha Thakur said in Birgunj that they will continue with the blockade. Asked about this difference of opinion, Mahato said: This is my personal opinion.” I don’t know about Thakur’s opinion, so go and ask Thakur. 
“We should stop this movement for a while. When the opportune moment comes, we should go for all-out action.”
“We should stop this blockade for a while and focus on energising the movement. And when the opportune moment comes, we should go for an all-out, powerful action,” Mahato said. He described talks going on with the Oli government as a mere tea talk, adding that this exercise will not find a way out of the crisis.
“Laluji is our senior and we respect him like our father”
Mahato expressed surprise over Madheshi leaders’ recent meeting with Indian leader Lalu Prasad Yadav. He described Lalu as a father figure and said Madheshi leaders have cordial and familial ties with the Indian leader.
“He (Laluji) is our senior and we respect him like our father. It was a sunny day at Laluji’s house and we talked with him in a cordial environment. Why should others have any objection about the talks when we don’t have any?”
Indians’ rallying to Kathmandu!
“For improving Nepal-India relations and expressing support to the Madhesh movement, Indians from Bihar are coming to Kathmandu,” Mahato said. Mahato talked of preparations towards this end at a time when a Bihari leader said they will send a million Indians to Nepal for participation in the Madhesh movement.
Asked if they should not object to the plan to send foreign nationals to Nepal in a bid to influence Nepal’s internal affairs, Mahato said: We have an open border with India, we have roti-beti relations with India. And they are coming here not to spoil bilateral ties but to improve them.
