Talks between Nepal government, parties deferred

The talks between the agitating Madhes-based parties and the Nepal government scheduled for Monday have been postponed.

The meeting with the United Democratic Madhesi Front that was expected to resolve the ongoing unrest in southern plains of the country was postponed owing to lack of enough preparation, Xinhua reported.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa, who heads the government dialogue team, said, "The meeting with the agitating parties slated for Monday were postponed to do more homework."

However, the date for the next meeting has not been finalised.

Madhes-based parties have been protesting on streets across the country for over two and half months expressing dissatisfaction over the federal demarcation in the new constitution.

The southern plains of the country dominated by the ethnic minority Madhesi people and bordering India have been paralysed owing to their strike as the marketsx, educational institutions and industries have remained closed.

Some round of talks were held between the disgruntled parties and the government in the past but these yielded no outcome.

The two sides have not held any meeting since last week after an Indian youth was killed in police firing amid protest of Madhes-based parties in Indo-Nepal border area in central Nepal city of Birgunj.

Meanwhile, the Madhesi Front has been obstructing the regular house session since Sunday.

They have said the parliamentary session would be obstructed till their demands are addressed.