The word Madhesi is used for people of Indian ancestry residing in the Terai region of Nepal. However, coming this time, the term is used for all Nepali citizens living in Terai. The word comprises “Madhya Desh” or “middle country,” which refers to the country lying between the Himalayas and Vindhya mountains. The Nepali Madhesi people now include various cultural groups such as Muslims, merchants, and indigenous people of the Terai. But, Migrants to the Terai from the hills of Nepal and Tharu people do not consider themselves Madhesi.
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Madhesi caste in Nepal
They have caste groups like Brahmin and Dalit and ethnic groups such as Bhojpuri, Maithalis, and Bajjika. Many Madhesis even share traditions and marital bonds with Indian people residing on the international border. This shows the harmony, but these days many people take this thing negatively and often humiliate our fellow citizens by calling Dhoti. This is one of the reasons, Madhesis are fighting for its identity.
Who is Nepali Madhesi?
Madhesis are one of the back-warded ethnic groups of Nepal but are very rich in their own culture and tradition. They have always been struggling for equality, identity, and respect. They are fighting for equal position and participation in all sectors of the economy.
Madhesi protest and Madhesh Andolan in Nepal
The Nepali Madhesi people celebrate the 3rd Ashwin 2072 as the black day as their protest against the new constitution, which according to them, didn’t ensure equal rights for the Madhesi. Since that date, Madhesis have been protesting against the new constitution and demanding amendments. You may also want to listen to the FM Station broadcasting the news of Madhesh. You can also watch a TV channel broadcasting the news of Madhesh.
Madhesi Nepal Constitution
According to the new constitution, children of Nepali women and foreign men will be considered second-class citizens and be barred from high government positions. Is that fair for Madhesis?
This is what caused the conflict, and Nepali Madhesi stood up against the discrimination they had been facing all these years.
This caused conflict between Government and the Madhesi People and a strike in 2072. During the crisis, the borders of India were closed, causing a scarcity of many essential things in Nepal. Since Nepal imports a lot of stuff from India, the economic blockade severely affected the lives of Nepali. There was a scarcity of cooking gas. People started using woods and biogas for cooking. There was a scarcity of fuel, i.e., petrol and diesel.
On the other hand, the strike and protest caused the death of many Madhesis in the Terai Region. The situation was terrible, and it got worse every day. Sixty Madhesis lost their life in that protest. Still, now many people blame Madhesis for being anti-nationalist, but the fact is that the protest was done just against all the dominance and discrimination they have been facing all these years.
We don’t realize how mean we have been to them. Do you remember mocking that guy from Terai in your college as Dhoti? That protest resulted from our behavior and the country’s behavior towards this ethnic group.
It’s high time that we start respecting our fellow citizens and realize they are not against the nation. They are just fighting for equality and freedom. The protest is between the Government and Nepali Madhesis. Both of them have their issues and are working towards harmony. As a third party, we should not make unnecessary judgments about both; the Government and the Madhesis without knowing what is going on.
