The families of martyrs and injured persons of the Madhes Movement have launched a protest demanding guarantees for education, healthcare, and employment. They carried out a peaceful protest on June 8 and 9, by sitting at the entrance gate of the Madhesh Province Council of Ministers’ Office and the Provincial Building housing the Ministry of Home Affairs, Communication, and Law in Janakpurdham.
Participants in the sit-in protest drew the government’s attention to the fact that the rights to education, healthcare, employment, and social security for the families of those martyred and injured during the Madhes Movement have yet to be ensured. They complained that the necessary legal provisions and the state’s responsibilities toward them have not been effectively implemented.
Rupesh Pasman recalled being shot in the leg during the movement and stated that Madhesh Province was established through the sacrifices and struggles of the Madhes Movement. He accused the state of forgetting the achievements gained through the contributions of martyrs and injured persons and emphasized the need to provide respect and protection to the injured and the families of martyrs.
Shakuntala Thakur, a member of a martyr’s family, said that she lost her husband during the Madhes Movement and that the government has still failed to provide them with effective services and facilities. She stated that it has been difficult to support her family as a single woman and stressed that the state must take the education, healthcare, and future of their children more seriously.
Anita Kumari Yadav, a member of the Madhes Martyrs Foundation, stated that the Foundation, which was established to ensure the dignity and rights of martyrs’ families and injured persons, should be granted autonomy with a proper legal basis. She also emphasized that the state should be sensitive to its responsibility toward the education and healthcare of the children of martyrs’ families, as well as the livelihood of their families.
Awadhesh Patel, a member of the Madhes Martyrs Foundation, stated that federalism and the establishment of Madhesh Province were made possible through the sacrifices of the martyrs of the Madhes Movement. He expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in formulating the necessary laws, regulations, and policies for martyrs’ families and injured persons. He further stated that ensuring respect, social security, and employment opportunities for martyrs’ families and injured persons is the responsibility of the state.
Chandeshwar Sah, Chairperson of the Injured Struggle Committee, stated that individuals injured during the Madhes Movement have long been facing challenges related to medical treatment, rehabilitation, and livelihood. He demanded that special programs be implemented to address their needs.