– Gopal Thakur
The ongoing Madhesh movement in the Gorkha Empire of Nepal has entered into a dungeon. The only blockade on Raxaul-Birganj checkpoint has been cleared up by so-called businessmen of Raxaul and Birganj. The ruling Khas-Gorkhali elites, either in power or in opposition, have cheered up. The agitating United Democratic Madheshee Front leaders have been disappeared from public. Their scheduled decisive meeting on the feature of Madhesh movement has also been hastily awaited.
It’s so because they don’t worry for liberation of Madhesh but look anxious how to prolong their agenda to face the upcoming elections. On the contrary, Madheshee populace is not in a mood to fight time and again for their national liberation. Therefore, they are seeking for a sustainable solution of their problems as a whole right now. Certainly, the leadership of the Madhesh movement must think of a logical solution. But one must not calculate the situation as failure of the movement, because losing a battle is not losing the war. Either willingly or on pressure of the Madheshee populace, the Front leaders have also been thrown in the situation of ‘Do or Die’. Let’s hope they will take it positively.
Besides these, the matter of Madheshee leaders’ trips to India always comes under hot discussion. Recently the Front leaders met RJD Leader Laloo Prasad Yadav in Bihar. They also met other influential leaders of the BJP and other parties too. Especially, their meeting with Mr. Yadav has infuriated the Khas-Gorkhali elites on the optimum point. Most of the Khas-Gorkhali imperialist-colonialist media disseminated the event in terms of shame on sovereignty. They have also questioned liability of the Madheshee leaders towards integration and independence of Nepal. They all have interrogated whether Madheshee leaders should have made such dialogue with foreign party leaders on the internal affairs of Nepal. Moreover, they have alleged Madheshees of being shameless.
Certainly the Madheshees’ grievances have to be addressed on internal arena of the Nepalese politics. But these grievances are not new. Suppression on Madheshee nationals commenced with the very annexation of the land of Madhesh into Gorkha Empire. The so-called King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great has already commanded his successors not to believe on South in his ‘Divine Messages (Divyopadesh). He has also directed them not to include Madheshees among others except Magar, Gurung, Khas and Thakuri in Gorkhali army[1].
His dynastical successors followed it with true spirit. So, the Madheshees stood in favour of the British cause during Anglo-Gorkha war and the Memorandum for Approval proposed by the British government and accepted by the then King of Nepal in 1816 came to agree not to take any action on Madheshee nationals on this matter after revertance of Madhesh in his rule. But the situation remained the same as usual. The Rana regime also made no change in it. It is very shameful to state that the situation remains the same till date even in the so-called Democratic Republic of Nepal.
In the world book of general knowledge, Nepal is said to be enjoying uninterrupted independence. But it is not true. Nepal is itself a colony of the Gorkha Empire and so is Madhesh. None of the languages, dress, life-style, culture, faces of Madhesh is Nepali till now. So, it’s the annexation of the only homeland of Madheshees into the Gorkha Empire. Therefore, Madheshees are the only slave of the Gorkhali nomads who claim they are the only Nepali. But in reality, they are absolute wanderer nomads whose history very clearly reveals there are a number of identities they have adopted one after another after their each step of newer settlements.
They were Marathi, Rajasthani, Kumauni, Garhwali, Khas, Parvate, Gorkhali before they turned into Nepali following annexation of the Nepal valley kingdoms into their Gorkha Empire. The latest identity of Nepali they adopted only 82 years ago when their Khas-Gorkha language was named as Nepali. It is the very cunning mindset of exclusive disguise of ultra-nationalism of the imperialist-colonialist ruling elites. The Madheshees among other suppressed nationalities had very enthusiastically expected its end with declaration of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. But it didn’t happen. Only the crown was overthrown. The royalist character of the ruling elites remained the same. Therefore, whatever the names the political parties have adopted, the Khas-Gorkhali leadership of almost all of them is ‘King without Crown’. Besides, the feudal set up of the state machinery remains the same as King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great has directed in his ‘Divine Preachings’.
So, neither Nepal nor Madhesh is independent. Rather either of them is only colony of the Gorkha Empire. So, it’s a neo-feudal imperialism in Nepal and there is only slavery clamped on Madheshees and other nationals assimilated as so-called Nepali. In his holy book of Ramcharitmanas, Tulsi Das has very clearly iterated:
नहिं दरिद्र सम दुख जग माही ।
पराधीन सपनो सुख नाही ॥
nʌɦĩ dʌridrʌ sʌmʌ dukʰ jʌɡ mɑɦī
pʌrɑdʰin sʌpʌno sukʰ nɑɦī
‘There is no sorrow graver than poverty and there is never pleasure even in the dream in slavery.’
In this circumstance, the master in terms of ruling elites has all authorities of legality and the slave has all capacities of bearing all sorts of punishments. So, the slave is always declared shameless by their masters. But the reality is just a reverse. So is the case between Khas-Gorkhali ruling elites and the slave Madheshees. Therefore, their all activities to obtain equality with the rulers will be the act of treason against state. We can observe in history of the Gorkha Empire of Nepal that uprooting Madheshee jungles, migrating non-Madheshees in Madhesh, excluding them from all state machinery are all under absolute ruling authority of the ruling imperialist Khas-Gorkhalis. Therefore, they sold Koshi, Gandaki, Mahakali with India under their patriotism but if a Madheshee raises any question, s/he must be treated for a crime of treason against state.
But the history can be rewritten also. During this course, the rulers will be overthrown again and again with their crime against the suppressed populace. So is ascertained to happen with the Khas-Gorkhali imperialists in Nepal. In this regards, everything is genuine in war and love. So, whoever the Madheshees meet for their cause, it is under their privilege. If it is taken as a shame, the unbearable shame is slavery. Certainly, all the shameful acts that help to overthrow the colonial rule must be performed, no matter, whatever the colonialist rulers charge them with. Because slavery is worse than shame, so, slavery must be overthrown first that restore our prestige to achieve our common betterment.
Kachorwa-1, Bara
February 8, 2016
[1]. देशका महाजन् लाई गोड प्रसाह देषी उभो आउन नदिनु. (दिव्योपदेश, पाना नं. ६); पट्टि पट्टिमा सिपाहि पनि षस् मगर गुरुं ठकुरि इनै चार जात मात्रै षिचोला गरि हाल्नु र तर्वार पर्दा साह्रो हुन्छ । (दिव्योपदेश, पाना नं. ८)
