Madhesi Jagaran

Mission Madhes: Constitution Draft

2009-08-28T15:55:00.005-04:00

Mission Madhes
Constitution Draft

(1) Name
(1.1) Mission Madhes (US) is the autonomous US chapter of the global organization Mission Madhes.

(2) Objective
(2.1) To organize Madhesis worldwide to leverage the network for the benefit of the members.
(2.2) To contribute to the equality, dignity and prosperity of the Madhesi population in Nepal.

(2) Organization
(2.1) Mission Madhes (US) will have a nine member Executive Committee. President, Vice President - 5, General Secretary-2, Treasurer.
(2.11) Five Vice Presidents: The duly elected presidents of the five regional committees will be the ex officio Vice Presidents of the central committee.
(2.2) Seven strong regional committees are to be formed as feasible in the following regions. President, Vice President - 3, General Secretary- 2, Treasurer.

Northeast
Midwest
Southeast
Southwest
West

(2.21) The duly elected presidents of the three largest metro committees in a region will be ex officio vice presidents of their regional committees.
(2.3) Five member metro committees are to be formed as feasible in the following metros. President, Vice President - 2, General Secretary, Treasurer.

New York
Los Angeles
Chicago
Houston
Philadelphia
Phoenix
San Antonio
San Diego
Dallas
San Jose
Detroit
Indianapolis

(2.2) Open elections are to be held by email, phone and in person for all Officer positions.
(2.3) Until elections are held for the first time, an ad hoc committee recognized by the central executive committee can conduct business for maximum one year at which point their term can be renewed for another year or until elections can be held.
(2.4) Elections are to be held for all levels in June 2010 for the first time. Elections will be held for all Officer positions in the organization at the same time in June. Those who became members by the end of May that year will be eligible to vote.
(2.41) Member Of The Year: The member who refers more members than anyone else in a particular year that get verified by an Officer will be declared Member Of The Year and will be honored at the Annual Picnic.
(2.5) It would be possible for one person to hold Officer positions at all three levels.
(2.6) Metros and regions that don't have enough members will not have committees.
(2.8) Officers will stay in office for two years.
(2.9) Board Of Advisors: The president, in consultation with the Executive Committee, will nominate a five member Board Of Advisors. A person has to be a member of the organization to be nominated. The Board's term expires with that of the president, or before if deemed necessary by the president.

(3) Principles
(3.1) Democracy and transparency are the two fundamental principles that Mission Madhes (US) shares with Mission Madhes chapters worldwide.
(3.2) Leaders will hold regular consultations with members and fellow Officers.
(3.3) All book keeping is to be kept transparent and online. The treasurer will publish online quarterly statements. The bank account will be handled by the signatures of the president and the treasurer. All transactions will have to be shared with the committee within a week and with members through the website within 10 days.
(3.4) Plentiful use is to be made of social/digital media to cover all events that the organization might host or be part of.

(4) Members
(4.1) Membership is free.
(4.2) Members are to submit their contact email addresses, phone numbers and their location: city, state, country.
(4.3) Members can be referred by any existing member, and must be verified by an Officer either by email or phone call or meeting in person.

(5) Global Reach
(5.1) Mission Madhes (US) is a member of the International Coordination Committee (ICC) of the global organization Mission Madhes.
(5.2) The president and one vice president chosen by the president are ex officio members of the ICC.

(6) Events And Programs
(6.1) The committees at the three levels are encouraged to do events so as to add to the vibrancy of the organization.
(6.2) Events can be organized solely or in coordination with other local organizations as determined feasible and necessary.
(6.3) Programs can also be launched. All book keeping will have to be kept transparent and online.

Mission Madhes (2)

2009-08-17T09:31:00.000-04:00

Mission Madhes

Some early thoughts.

US Regions

Northeast
Midwest
Southeast
Southwest
West

The Big Cities In America

New York
Los Angeles
Chicago
Houston
Philadelphia
Phoenix
San Antonio
San Diego
Dallas
San Jose
Detroit
Indianapolis

We will keep the constitution short and simple. We will need a national executive committee, nine members. We will need an executive committee for each of the five regions, seven members each. And we will need one for each major metro region, five members each.

We will have a five member Board of Advisors, to be appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee.

The committees have to be as diverse as possible.

We don't want to overstretch ourselves. We have to have a limited agenda, and we have to learn to deliver well.

Holi event
Summer picnic
Events for the visiting Madhesi dignitaries
Education project for kids in Nepal

That last one is of special interest to me. We should be able to raise money from interested members and other sources to sponsor the education of select kids in those members' homevillages in Nepal.

And then we have to host monthly tea parties of the active members to do phone banking so as to ensure a rapid expansion of the organization. Could we get 500 members in America? Could we launch chapters in at least five other countries, and in all the Terai districts? That is the question.

Mission Madhes

2009-08-15T21:50:00.002-04:00

The decision to launch the organization Mission Madhes has already been made. But we have not formally launched it yet. Homework is being done. I expect the formal launch to take place in a few weeks. We will issue a press release when that happens. Everyone who joins before the formal date of launch will have been a founding member. We want there to be many founding members, preferably in many countries. We will register the organization in a few months.

This is to be a global organization, not a diaspora organization. We will have chapters also in Nepal. Each national chapter will be autonomous, but will have the same name. Mission Madhes (US), Mission Madhes (UK), Mission Madhes (India), Mission Madhes (Nepal) and so on.

Right now it looks like I will be president, and Amit Shah will be Vice President of the US chapter. We ar

Image by paramendra via Flickr

e also looking for someone to be Secretary, Treasurer, and so on. And there will be members of the Executive Committee. But this will be an ad hoc committee. The first elections will be duly held in June 2010. The elections will be open, transparent. All members will have the option to vote by email, or phone even. Who voted for whom will be kept transparent. We would want as many members as possible to vote. That elected committee will host the picnic on Roosevelt Island the first Saturday in August, weather permitting.

This is not ANTA splitting. We will want to work in close cooperation with ANTA, ANMUK, AIMSA and all other Madhesi diaspora organizations. We will not be affiliated with any Madhesi political party, but we will actively work with all political parties that might be working for the equality, dignity and prosperity of the Madhesi population in Nepal.

The first draft of the constitution of the organization will be circulated soon enough. Please give feedback.

There will be an international coordination committee. The president and vice president of each national chapter will be ex officio members. The committee will ensure that the basic principles of the organization like democracy and transparency are being respected by all the national chapters.

We will have a major event in New York City to coincide with Holi. That will be our biggest event of the year. We will invite non Madhesi Nepali guests, and also non Nepali guests for that event.

Our annual picnic on Roosevelt Island will be our biggest event of the year for the Madhesis. Madhesis from outside New York who might want to attend, we will try and find local Madhesi hosts for them for the weekend.

We will also do events for the visiting Madhesi dignitaries.

Membership is to be free and global.
All book keeping it to be kept transparent and online.
Maximum use is to be made of digital technology and social media.
It is not just about what we can do for Madhes. It is also about what we can do for the members of the organization in terms of leveraging the network for them.

My Organization Hamro Nepal And ANTA

2009-07-10T23:56:00.003-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

I lead Hamro Nepal. I am not a member of any other organization.

Hamro Nepal is a digital organization.
Hamro Nepal is a global organization. It is not a diaspora organization. We have quite a few members from Nepal.
The number one thing I have done as President of Hamro Nepal is the work I have done through my blog Democracy For Nepal. I am the only Nepali in the diaspora to have put full time work towards the April 2006 revolution and the two Madhesi movements. My work was always transparent, and it remains archived for anyone to see. I was not engaged in journalism. I was doing hard core political work. I was suggesting political moves and strategies.
Digital, political, global.

As a New Yorker I have gone to many Nepali and Madhesi events put together by many organizations. Nobody in ANTA has my kind of political background. Nobody from ANTA put as much time into the two Madhesi movements as I did. My commitment to the Madhesi caus

Image by wallyg via Flickr

e is second to none. And my organization just so happens to be larger than ANTA. We have more members. We run the largest Nepali online gathering place in the world.

There are people who treat their involvement with the various diaspora organizations as second careers. I am not one of them. The ANTA, NAC, NRN structure means a lot to them. They put much effort into climbing up the various organizational ladders. I have zero interest in that.

I don't have to do what you wish to do. Hamro Nepal is the only vehicle I have needed so far for the hard core political work I have put into the April 2006 revolution, and the two Madhesi revolutions. Compared to the Nepalis under dictatorship, and the Madhesis under Pahadi dominion in Nepal, the diaspora Nepalis are an asleep bunch. There is little consciousness and effort to try and attain equality in their host countries. And for someone like me who feels strongly about immigration rights, the larger national political landscape in America is of greater interest than Nepali diaspora politics.

ANTA should attempt symbiosis with my organzation Hamro Nepal. That is wh

Image by paramendra via Flickr

at is in ANTA's best interests. After all I am the guy who launched ANTA in New York where ANTA still has its largest presence.

ANTA should attempt symbiosis instead of keep sending me little feelers to join ANTA. I can't be part of the ANTA, NAC, NRN framework, that is why I can not join ANTA. That does not mean I do not wish it all the best.

And my startup keeps me plenty busy: JyotiConnect Inc.. Thanks, but no thanks. And hello from New York City.

Internalized Prejudice, Internalized Racism And The Madhesi Diaspora

2009-06-24T14:56:00.005-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

Image by paramendra via Flickr

I have written about my dissatisfaction as a Madhesi with Budhanilkantha School, and my dissatisfaction as a nonwhite person with Berea College. Then I move to New York and interact with the Madhesis and the Nepalis and my conclusion is these groups suffer from

Internalized Racism
Internalized Prejudice
Mental Slavery

There is a happy equilibrium between the oppressor and the oppressed. And the mental slavery gets vehemently reflected in the way these groups self-organize.

Internalized Racism Among Nepalis In NYC
Madhesi Self Hate

Ordinary members express little enthusiasm to claim their identities. Those aspiring for leadership positions seem to want to disrespect the basic democratic process. You are not a leader to anyone who never voted for you. That humility is missing. Organizations are reluctant to go mass-based.

Image by paramendra via Flickr

Mithila, Maithili, Bhojpuri

2009-06-07T14:09:00.006-04:00

Madhesh Think Tank: A Reply To Ratan Jha

2009-04-09T12:21:00.003-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

Ratan Jha: "I agree with Divita, Subhash ji, Lalit and other Members of this esteemed Forum...."

Ratanji. This is your usual tactic of listing a bunch of names to try and show a lot of people are behind you. Divita Mehta: "I personally think that the
discussions in this forum are extremely valuable and should be made public...." It was Subhash Shah who brought up the idea of structure for this forum and I responded with this: http://madhesi5.googlepages.com Lalit Jha and Ram Shah talked of "taking this forum to the next level," and I responded with this: http://madhesi5.googlepages.com I came up with a set of ideas, put them out for public discussion, respected the resulting majority voiced opinion, and settled on a creative resolution. But that nowhere ever meant I said bye bye to the Bill Of Rights for me. Free speech still rings true.

" ....Paramendra's "*His Way or Highway*" approach. If I recall correctly, it was his similar approach that led to removal of his membership from the ND Forum couple of years ago. Personally, I do NOT receive Paramendra's mail as I've marked them "SPAM". Nonetheless, I do get some of his mails in conjunction with other members' e-mails"

On the ND Forum issue looks to me like Sukhdev Shah and I stand on one side, and you on the other side. http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/02/kiran-sitoula-is-short-fat-idiot.html

Diaspora Dynamics
Phone Talk With Girija Koirala: Meeting History Itself
January 12 Janakpur, January 20 Kathmandu
Time For Madhesi Militancy Is Now
NDF Owner, Stop This Nonsense, Reinstate Immediately
ND Dynamics
The Cloud Model, Not The Pyramid Model
ND Glasnost
Diaspora Logistical Help To The Movement

I got kicked out of the ND Forum for this: Project Nepal Democracy: 5 Projects

The prejudiced Pahadis of the ND Forum became extremely uncomfortable that I intended to play a central role into Nepal's democracy movement - which I did, thanks to the digital democracy ways - and they did the cowardly thing of kicking me out. Which other Nepali in America, Pahadi or Madhesi, worked full time for the April Revolution? Name one other. You can't. There is no other. But the Pahadis still felt the need to disrespect me. The question is, why do you feel the need to join them?

Let's face it. You have made a second career out of getting along with the prejudiced Pahadis of the diaspora. It is the Mr. 1% mentality. We Madhesis are 1% of the Nepal Army, and 1% of the Nepali diaspora. So we try a little too hard to get along. We try not to offend.

Rakesh Mishra also got kicked out of that ND Forum recently. What do you make of that?

The curious thing though is what we Madhesis are in Nepal - disenfranchised, marginalized, powerless - the Pahadis are on the global stage. They mirror the mental slavery ways of the Madhesi on the global stage. They need help and they know it.

Internalized Racism Among Nepalis In NYC
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/05/internalized-racism-among-nepalis-in.html
Madhesi Self Hate
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/08/madhesi-self-hate.html
MaMaMaMa
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/06/mamamama.html
मधेशीसँग संख्या छ ...
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/05/blog-post.html
Bahun, Chhetri, Sunni
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/06/bahun-chhetri-sunni.html

"Regarding your comments about ANTA and its ELITE members, I feel happy when people feel that I'm rich (or elite). I rather be rich than poor. Won't you like to be the same? Otherwise, why would you be involved with one of the most riskiest type of investment venture?"

I don't know you are rich. But if you are, I am happy for you. I admire successful people, especially those from backgrounds that put major hurdles in the way, like the Madhesi of Nepal. I don't begrudge anyone's success. What I do have issues is with the elitism, this attitude that we intend to speak on behalf of the Madhesi masses, but think they are too beneath us to be part of our conversations.

True, my tech startup is a high risk venture, and the potential rewards are correspondingly huge, but what really drives me there is the vision statement: to con

"Lastly, with respect to our time commitment, we have our family, then our job/business, and then only ANTA/Madhesh Think Tank/ ND/NRNA/NAC,etc. We, the ANTA Executives, very well know how to prioritize our time, and we feel extremely proud and content about what we have achieved with ANTA and other similar social organizations. Nevertheless, I do agree that a lot more can be done, and we'll continue to do our best."

You are talking to the guy who launched ANTA in New York where ANTA has its largest presence, although the credit for expansion goes to ther people. I was part of the conversations that launched the Madhesi organizations in India, and Britain. You happened not to be. But it is a good thing you have interacted with them later.

If it is okay to criticize the Madhesi political parties, it is okay to criticize the Madhesi diaspora organizations. Why are you getting so defensive? Unless you criticize, how will you take them to the next level?

The summary phrase for this whole discussion is mental slavery. People have the option to disagree with me, people have the option to not even read my thoughts, and people have the option to outvote me, and people have exercised all those options at one time or another, but people still get agitated. It is because I am challenging people's mental slavery thought patterns and that makes them uncomfortable.

Paramendra Bhagat http://paramendrabhagat.blogspot.com
President, Hamro Nepal http://hamnep.googlepages.com
Chairperson, JyotiConnect Inc. http://jyoticonnect.googlepages.com

Madhesh Think Tank: February 2009 And Before
Madhesh Think Tank: Sukhdev Sah, Tharu Movement, Dalit
Madhesh Think Tank: Board
Madhesh Think Tank: Murari Raj Sharma, Upendra Yadav
Madhesh Think Tank: Links, Hindi
Madhesh Think Tank: Ek Terai, Jhijhiya, Open Border
Madhesh Think Tank: Mayawati, Laloo, Manmohan, Gmail
Madhesh Think Tank: Gayatri Shah, Ek Terai
An Opaque Madhesh Think Tank
Broadband And Madhesi Liberation
Madhesi Gathering: Shangrila: Jay Kishan Heights: New Year
Global Madhesi Organization

Madhesi All Round Development

(1) Political Leadership For Ek Terai, Ek Rajya

The major Madhesi parties give us hope like the Madhesi members of the
three big Pahadi parties don't. But we have to engage those Madhesis
also. Our immediate goal is Ek Terai, Ek Rajya. For that we have to
seek a coalition not only of the Madhesi parties, but also the Madhesi
MPs of the three Pahadi parties.

(2) Second Goal: National Leadership

After Ek Terai is achieved, and Nepal gets a new constitution, the
Madhesi Movement's next goal is going to be to get a popularly elected
Madhesi president/prime minister for Nepal. For that goal to be met we
are going to have to work to unify all Madhesi parties. We might start
with that goal and still not manage to rope in all of them. But even
if we manage to rope in most and not all of them, the goal could be
achieved.

In a democracy, it is not age or wealth that decides who the leader
is. Right now as the leader of the largest Madhesi party, Upendra
Yadav has a just claim to the leadership position. It is not Mahantha
Thakur, much as I respect the guy. He is a "parosiya" from Sarlahi.

But after unification if at a party convention someone like Hridayesh
Tripathy, Rajendra Mahato, Jay Prakash Gupta, Bijay Gachhedar, or some
fifth person gets elected party president, that new person gets to
lead. It is for the democratic process to decide who the leader is
going to be.

(3) Immediate Goal: A New Madhesi Identity

Manjil Ek Aur Rahi Do, Phir Pyar Kaise Na Ho? The Madhesi want Ek
Madhesh, Ek Pradhesh, the Tharus want Ek Tharuhat, Ek Pradesh. We go
for Ek Terai, Ek Rajya. We have to seek middle ground. We have to work
for equality for the Dalits, the Muslims, and upward socio-economic
mobility for them and the Tharus and the other Janajatis. Just like
the Nepali identity so far has not been inclusive, the Madhesi
identity so far has not been inclusive. The Madhesi women so far have
not been treated equal. That has to change over time. We have to
reinvent the Madhesi identity so that the Dalit, Muslim, Women and
Tharus feel at home in that identity, because it is the Tharus that
will make a Madhesi-Janajati coalition possible. Laloo created the
Muslim-Yadav coalition, we have to create a Madhesi-Janajati
coalition.

(4) Madhesi Diaspora Organizations

There is not enough democracy and transparency in the Madhesi diaspora
organizations. They are almost allergic to the idea of going mass-
based. They suffer from elitism. They have an exaggerated sense of how
much they matter to the Madhesi movers and shakers in Nepal. They
suffer more from homesickness than from a strong urge to serve the
masses back home. They don't talk to each other enough. At some level
they are fundamentally disrespectful of the leading Madhesis in Nepal
who are working under tough conditions. At least they are there in the
trenches. We are not.

Apr 7, 9:29 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 18:29:54 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Apr 7 2009 9:29 pm
Subject: Re: Madhesi: All Round Development

Purushottam Shah: "I have seen you advocating for unification of three
Madhesi parties very strongly in several of your write-ups and
discussion forums. You have also presented a proposal that looks fair
and democratic enough for all the sides involved who have stakes.
Madhesis, as a whole too want this. So, as it must be apparent, what
is stopping them from uniting? Are the egos and sense of pride over
being the party chairman of a party of Nepal stopping them from doing
so? In their mind, are they thinking that being the party chairman of
a 3 MP party is better than being the secretary-general or party
spokesperson of the party that would command nearly the second largest
numbers of MPs or aggregate votes? ............ Who should push in
this regard? I see that you (Paramendra) do know the party-heads
personally, what was their explanation for not moving forward for a
unification?"

Right now I am busy with my own stuff, but over time I hope to start
working the phones to make this happen, or at least give it a good
try. I might be the best person to work on this. One, I am neutral.
Two, I have no career interests the way I might have had if I were in
Nepal and politically affiliated and active. I might be that one
person who personally knows the top leaders in all the Madhesi
parties, and I garner political respect and admiration across the
board. Maybe I will get listened to. I don't think we are running late
on this one. But I do need to pitch in.

The idea is right. The formula is fair. But the work will have to
happen over the phone, and it will take a little time.

Otherwise I am in good standing across the board. For a few years
between high school and college I was politicking in Nepal. I was Vice
General Secretary to the Nepal Samajwadi Janata Dal that had two MPs.
Hridayesh Tripathy was General Secretary. Sarita Giri was yet another
Vice General Secretary. Rajendra Mahto was Central Committee member,
and he made a point to publicly state that fact at a Madhesi event in
Jackson Heights when he was in NYC as a Cabinet member. I am friends
with Hridayeshji's wife, I know Rajendraji's wife. I know some of
their children. I mean, it is not all political. We have a friendship
that goes back a decade and a half. I know other leaders in those two
parties, people like Anil Jha.

When Upendra Yadav landed in Los Angeles in July 2007 for the annual
conference of Nepalis in America, his first words were "Where is
Paramendra Bhagat?" They took him to the hotel. He again asked, "Where
is Paramendra Bhagat?" They had to fly him over to NYC to meet me.

The first time I called up Jay Prakash Gupta, he said, "Ye to mera
ahobhagya hai ki aap ne mujhe phone kiya." I had never met him before,
never called him before, never corresponded.

I personally don't know anyone from the Dalit Janajati Party, or the
Nepali Janata Dal, but that can change fast after I start working the
phones, which might be in a few weeks, or a few months, depending on
how much space I can make and how soon.

I would probably tap on a network of volunteers to work the phones. We
diaspora Madhesis are in a unique position to help bring together the
various Madhesi parties.

http://madhesi5.googlepages.com/upendrayadav
http://madhesi5.googlepages.com/rajendramahto

Along those lines, I have two other related stories.

I was at a Nepali event in Jackson Heights in Queens. Some MPs from
Nepal were on stage. I was sitting in the front row. Hundreds were in
attendance. In the middle of the program one MP got off stage to come
sit one seat from me to get his picture taken with me. Then he got
embarrassed and said he was trying to get the crowd into the
background of the picture.

In February 2006 Madhav Nepal, then leader of the largest political
party in the country, was put under house arrest by the royal regime.
A month later he managed to come online wireless. His brother lived in
the house next to his. The first person he contacted was me. We
chatted on Google Talk. Madhav Nepal is a Pahadi.

All the top politicians in Nepal know me or of me, and that is a good
standing to have if you are going to work to unify the various Madhesi
parties.

I know politics and group dynamics the way Binod Shah knows medicine,
the way Ratan Jha knows engineering.

When Bill Gates was 19, he launched a company. When I was 19, I
launched a political party.

I am a digital democrat. That is my newest political incarnation.

Apr 8, 1:28 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009 10:28:11 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Wed, Apr 8 2009 1:28 pm
Subject: Re: Re- mdheshi: all round development to Paramendra

Kritji.

Mahanta ki baat nahin hai. I could not operate on somebody, I am not a
surgeon. But if a surgeon were to circulate his resume, would he be
flaunting, and being immodest?

Madhesi diaspora organizations are subject to criticism just like
Madhesi political parties. We should have open, healthy discussions so
as to make them better.

"....who writes your material..."

This is a strange question. I write my stuff myself. Who do you think
writes my material?

"Ek Pardesh ek Terai is absolutely bad for the general public of
Terai"

Ok so we disagree on this. I have said why I am for Ek Terai, Ek
Rajya, but you have not said why you are against Ek Terai, Ek Rajya.
Would you like to share your reasons?

"Madheshi leaders are as bad as Pahadiya leaders"

Political leaders are public figures subject to criticism. Sure. But
it shows your political naivete to lump all politicians together. That
is kind of like saying all western women are "loose!" Which is a
sexist thing to say, and exhibits ignorance.

"Doesn't racism and discrimination exist in the Terai"

If you have been reading my recent posts, you will realize I have time
and again empathized with the Dalits, the Muslims, the women, the
Tharus of the Terai. But because all that inequality exists, and so
there is no point in fighting for equality for Madhesis on the
national scene, that line of thought is exactly what the Khas rulers
want you to have. You are making them happy.

"Please do Think about what are you saying and consider what will be
the impacts of the action on general public"

I do that ALL the time.

" 4 weeks ago I was in Nepal and have seen the condition of the Terai
Basi"

It would be more helpful if you were to be more descriptive in terms
of what you saw on the ground. Would you like to share some of the
revealing conversations you had with people?

Madhesh Think Tank: February 2009 And Before

2009-04-07T08:45:00.002-04:00

Image via CrunchBase

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank (private)

Govt lists 92 caste groups as Madhesi

Feb 26, 2:32 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:32:10 -0800 (PST)
Local: Thurs, Feb 26 2009 2:32 pm
Subject: Re: Govt lists 92 caste groups as Madhesi

http://myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=2243

This is an important development.

(1) Now the Bahuns don't get to claim they are also Madhesi. If they
live in Terai, they are Teraiwasi. They don't become white when they
live in America either.

(2) Tharu are Madhesi. Just like Madhesi Dalit is both Dalit and
Madhesi. The Tharu are very much Madhesi.

Law And Order In The Terai

Feb 28, 12:28 am
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:28:21 -0800 (PST)
Local: Sat, Feb 28 2009 12:28 am
Subject: Law And Order In The Terai

7,000 Martyrs: A Maoist Farce
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/02/7000-martyrs-maoist-farce.html

The Pahadi power structure is systematically punishing the Madhesi
population in the Terai by intentionally going slack on law and order
in the Terai. The punishment is for giving a big victory to the
Madhesi parties on April 10, 2008. The Pahadi police that openly sided
with the Pahadi rioters in Nepalgunj in December 2006 are now doing
something similar by acting absent while on duty. They used to
practice active suppression during the Panchayat. Now they are
punishing the Madhesi population by going passive in the line of duty
and, worse, actively colluding with criminal elements to make life
hell for the Madhesi population. This attitude is a recipe for a
disintegration of the country. Remember Bangladesh?

National Coalition Against Racial Discrimination: Proposed
Constitution
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/02/national-coalition-against-racial.html

ग्रीन कार्ड भनेको भिसा जस्तो हो

Feb 26, 5:17 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:17:28 -0500
Local: Thurs, Feb 26 2009 5:17 pm
Subject: ग्रीन कार्ड भनेको भिसा जस्तो हो

ग्रीन कार्ड भनेको भिसा जस्तो हो
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/02/blog-post.html

उपेन्द्र यादव विदेश मन्त्री भएको बेलामा मधेसी पार्टीहरूले एक भएर
अमेरिकाकालागि नेपाली राजदुत भनेर सुकदेव साहको नाम सिफारिस गरे। सुकदेव
साहको नाम पहाडीहरूलाई बाँदरको हातमा नरिवल भएको छ। मान्छेलाई
disqualified भन्न भएन। सुकदेव साहभन्दा qualified मान्छे नेपालमा छँदै
छैन। अनि कोहीलाई के सुर्ता ज्वाईलाई खानैको सुर्ता भने जस्तो सुकदेव
साहसँग त ग्रीन कार्ड छ भनेर they have started running up and down the
street, बाहुनले च्याउ खाअोस् न स्वाद पाअोस् भने जस्तो।

--
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An Opaque Madhesh Think Tank

Feb 24, 1:34 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:34:00 -0500
Subject: An Opaque Madhesh Think Tank

An Opaque Madhesh Think Tank
http://madhesi.blogspot.com/2009/02/opaque-madhesh-think-tank.html

If the Madhesi Think Tank is not going to make its archives public, it
is of little personal interest to me. Mohi magne dhungro lukaune?

--
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http://jyoticonnect.googlepages.com

Feb 24, 5:54 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:54:39 -0800 (PST)
Local: Tues, Feb 24 2009 5:54 pm
Subject: Re: An Opaque Madhesh Think Tank

Bijay Raut: "we can do a democratic voting off the Think Tank group,
and make a decision based on it. "

That would be the best way.

Feb 25, 10:18 am
From: paramendra
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 06:18:35 -0800 (PST)
Local: Wed, Feb 25 2009 10:18 am
Subject: Re: An Opaque Madhesh Think Tank

I think Balkrishna has brought forth an important point.

Preserving the sense of community in this forum should perhaps be the
number one priority.

As a strong proponent of making the archives public, I want to go on
record to say I see the light in the opposing viewpoint.

But this new development also has helped me appreciate the value of an
open discussion where people respectfully air their opinions and learn
from each other.

Since we Madhesis are such a small portion of the Nepali diaspora,
making the archives public might dissuade many from airing their views
openly. Most abstain as is.

Perhaps we should preserve the original character of this forum and
keep it private, those wishing to more publicly air their views might
want to join this crowd here: http://ndforum.blogspot.com Those
wishing to do both, it is as easy as copy and paste.

Make The Madhesi Think Tank Archives Public

Feb 19, 3:56 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:56:46 -0500
Local: Thurs, Feb 19 2009 3:56 pm
Subject: Make The Madhesi Think Tank Archives Public

Access http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank/about
Only members can view group content
Only members can view group members list
People can request an invitation to join
Members can create and edit pages
Members can upload files
Only members can post

I can see why only select members may join this think tank, otherwise
things would go out of hand, and the quality of the conversation would
go downhill. But it makes no sense to not allow anyone and everyone to
view the archives. There are many people who might not qualify to join
this think tank, but who should have every right to follow the
discussions here. Our current arrangement is undemocratic and opaque.
It is too cliquish. "Only members can view group content." I request
the group administrator Bijay Raut to please make the archives public.
Thanks.

--
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Feb 20, 12:04 am
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:04:37 -0800 (PST)
Local: Fri, Feb 20 2009 12:04 am
Subject: Re: Make The Madhesi Think Tank Archives Public

I am not opposed to being liberal about who to let join the group and
who not to. I think anyone so far has had the option to come to the
MTT site and make a request with the administrator saying they wish to
join. They can write a paragraph introducing themselves and making a
case as to why they need to be allowed in. That arrangement has always
been in place.

But not everyone wants to write and discuss. Most people seem to
prefer to just read. Or there would be a ton of comments at my blog.

Feb 22, 5:47 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 13:47:24 -0800 (PST)
Local: Sun, Feb 22 2009 5:47 pm
Subject: Re: Make The Madhesi Think Tank Archives Public

Dr. Binod has brought forth a valid point. He disagrees with my
suggestion that the archives of this google group must be public. I
think this small issue gives us an opportunity to hold a civil, open,
transparent debate on the question. People should fully express their
opinions.

I am glad we finally have a Global Madhesi Organization in Ram Shah's
leadership. But it is for the 67 members of this group to discuss and
decide, if necessary by vote, as to whether or not we should make the
archives public.

Here is my rationale.

(1) This is not a private club, this is not a family group. This is
the online watering hole for the leading Madhesis from all over the
world. By definition this group and its discussions belong to the 12
million Madhesis on the planet. These message threads are not private
emails. We can not take this group to the 12 million, but we should
take it to as many as possible, especially when it is so easy to do,
and free.

(2) I am opposed to Madhesis talking Madhesi rights with Madhesis but
expressing internalized prejudice and mental slavery and subservience
when among Pahadis. What are you afraid of?

(3) Making the archives public will get us more Madhesi readers, and
we will also get more requests from Madhesis who wish to join the
group and contribute to the discussions. We do want the widest
possible readership.

(4) I also want interested Pahadis to read these discussions. Let them
get informed of our raw feelings and opinions. Let's enlighten them as
to our issues.

(5) Just like there are very few Madhesis in the Nepal Army, in the
Nepal Police, in the state bureaucracy in Nepal, there are very few
Madhesis in the Nepali diaspora, and for the same reasons. This
particular google group so far has emerged as the best gathering place
for those few. A wider readership will enhance the quality of
discussions here.

(6) Too much is at stake as work gets done on the constitution. We
stand next to a loud, vocal, prejudiced Pahadi majority in the
diaspora. We have to fight back with words and ideas. This google
group could play a key role in securing the One Terai, One Pradesh.

(7) Let's go mass based.

ICG: Nepal's Faltering Peace Process

Feb 23, 6:35 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:35:32 -0500
Local: Mon, Feb 23 2009 6:35 pm
Subject: ICG: Nepal's Faltering Peace Process

ICG: Nepal's Faltering Peace Process
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/02/icg-nepals-faltering-peace-process.html

--
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Kya Huwa

Feb 22, 5:28 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:28:43 -0500
Local: Sun, Feb 22 2009 5:28 pm
Subject: Kya Huwa

Access: Only members can view group content

I just found out that this tank has gone opaque again. Why?

If there are members of this think tank that are opposed to keeping
the content of the discussions here public, they should participate in
a discussion on the topic and convince the rest of us as to their
rationale. This super elitism if offensive. 50 leading Madhesis in the
world get together online but wish to discuss things in a way that
denies access to other Madhesis who might manage to come online. That
is beyond weird.

The decision making process is flawed. Lobbying through private phone
calls! People should have open discussions.

--
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Tank, Tara, Constitution, NAC, NRN

Feb 22, 5:23 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:23:17 -0500
Local: Sun, Feb 22 2009 5:23 pm
Subject: Tank, Tara, Constitution, NAC, NRN

(1)

Because this think tank's archives are now in public, I have linked to
it from my Nepal blog. See top right:
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com Now this think tank performs the
same function for my Nepal blog that Twitter does for my Tech N Biz
blog: http://technbiz.blogspot.com

(2)

Amit Shah: ".....included the word Women, Adibashi/Janjati but
intentionally excluded the word *MADHESHI* ignoring the fact of
madheshi movement and condition in Nepal as well as in abroad."

This is an important observation. If there had been no anti-Madhesi
prejudice in Nepal there would have been 10,000 Madhesis in New York
today. The first 10,000 Pahadis I am going to meet in NYC, I am going
to think they took seats that belonged to Madhesis. Since the Nepali
diaspora is mostly a Pahadi diaspora, we can expect a major sentiment
against the sound One Terai, One Pradesh idea. We have to counter
that. This think tank could play a key role.

(3)

Tara. I learned a few weeks back that he is now NAC president.
Congrats. This looks good on NYC Nepalis. One third of the Nepalis in
the US are in NYC. Good to see the leadership has finally shifted to
the city. Now I learn he is also chair of the NRNA-NCC America. I am
learning for the first time that such a coordination council has
finally materialized in the US as well. That is great news. It is
possible at some time some Nepali in the US will lead the global NRN
movement, but for that to happen it had been important for the Nepalis
in America to get integrated with the global NRN first. For the
longest time, the NRN organization faced resistance in America because
a Madhesi was at the top.

I have tussled with Tara at times in the past on three issues - (a)
the need for an umbrella organization for the 30 plus Nepali
organizations in New York Metro, or alternately getting them all to
become members of NAC itself, (b) democracy, (c) transparency - that
some have tried to portray as some kind of a personality clash,
because there is more drama in that suggestion.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/08/democracy-transparency-and-nepali.html

I still would like to emphasize the importance of democracy and
transparency for the Nepalis to earn their due political rights in NYC
and at the national level. This is about immigrant rights. Too much of
the Nepali diaspora bonding is tied to the happenings in Nepal and too
little to the rights of the Nepalis in their host countries.

What I am getting at is Nepalis should have the right to vote in New
York city elections based on residency, because you pay utility bills.
The Irish had that in Boston 150 years ago. You don't have to be a
citizen, you don't have to have a green card.

In terms of basic rights in host countries, it is much worse for the
Nepalis in the gulf states, in Malaysia, other places.

When you emphasize democracy and transparency, you also make it
possible for the diaspora organizations to go mass based. Right now
there is too much living room talk, cliquish, self-defeating.

(4)

A few weeks back Jay Mandal forwarded me this email about the
constitution. I told him I had a direct channel with Madhav Nepal on
the constitution work. That is the beauty of having a global digital
democracy organization: http://hamnep.googlepages.com and having been
the only full timer in the diaspora behind the three revolutions in
Nepal: April 2006, January-February 2007, February 2008.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com

I have been one of the earliest to start work on a constitution. What
I have proposed would be the shortest, most progressive constitution
of any country.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html

--
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Sukhdev Shah

Feb 13, 2:29 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:29:27 -0500
Local: Fri, Feb 13 2009 2:29 pm
Subject: Sukhdev Shah

This daily digest from the Madhesi Think Tank today has been my
favorite to date for all the congratulatory messages to Dr. Sukhdev
Shah. It is a big deal, a huge deal that the Nepali ambassadors to the
US and UK are both Madhesi for the first time ever. This is a tectonic
shift.

When I was a little kid, we used to hear of Dr. Shah as someone who
was at the World Bank/IMF in the US. Then he showed up on stage with
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in Janakpur at a Barah Bigha mass meeting
after the 1990 mass movement as someone who had helped pay for some of
BP's medical expenses. I was there at the mass meeting. He spoke mixed
Maithili-Hindi-English-Nepali. A few years later I attended his talk
program at TU in Kirtipur. I was in the back, I did not get to talk to
him one on one. He at the time said it was worse for the Madhesis in
Nepal than the blacks in America. A few years later we got to know
each other through online interactions. The first time he emailed me
the way I felt was similar to this:
http://technbiz.blogspot.com/2009/01/mitch-kapor-now-following-me-on-twitter.html
I was elated.

And he was a rare Madhesi who took affront at my mistreatment at the
storm-in-a-teacup Google Group called the ND Forum.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/02/kiran-sitoula-is-short-fat-idiot.html

Dr. Shah became qualified when it was near impossible for Madhesis to
get qualified. And if it had not been for the anti-Madhesi prejudice
he would have been ambassador to the US a long time ago. Better late
than never. But we have not arrived yet. There is much work that still
remains.

This is a symbolic achievement. But this helps us go for the big
achievements for the masses. This is a step in the right direction. We
have to celebrate this. I look forward to a felicitation program in
his honor here in New York City.

We have to keep pushing the limits. We have to keep looking for new
goals. http://madhesi.blogspot.com/2009/02/broadband-and-madhesi-liberation.html

Hindi, Nepali, East West Railway, Sukhdev Shah

Feb 19, 3:52 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:52:36 -0500
Local: Thurs, Feb 19 2009 3:52 pm
Subject: Hindi, Nepali, East West Railway, Sukhdev Shah

(1) Leaders like Yadav-Tripathy-Mahato should learn to address Pahadi
crowds in Nepali because it is time for the three (plus) Madhesi
parties to get unified and expand into all 75 districts.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/unification-of-madhesi-parties.html

(2) It is unrealistic to expect the East West railway line to connect
all the populous Terai towns. Further south you go from the Chure,
worse is the flood problem during the monsoon. Also, this is not a
railway line just for the Madhesi, but for all of Nepal, actually
especially for the hill districts. So the railways line should be as
close to the Chure as possible, just like the highway. Actually it
might not be a bad idea to have common bridges for both the highway
and the railway.

Provided the right (non-corrupt, transparent, speedy, bold, capable)
political leadership, this railway line could materialize fast through
BOOT. Build, Own, Operate, Transfer. You go for FDI. There is plenty
of money in the global marketplace. The same applies to the mega hydel
projects.

(3) I liked Sukhdev Shah saying he wishes to be an ambassador of all
Nepalis. That is the next goal for the Madhesi Movement: national
leadership.

Madhesi Gathering In Long Island

Feb 21, 5:12 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:12:38 -0500
Local: Sat, Feb 21 2009 5:12 pm
Subject: Madhesi Gathering In Long Island

https://twitter.com/paramendra/status/1235248689

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Showing off some Tweets

Feb 20, 8:10 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:10:56 -0500
Local: Fri, Feb 20 2009 8:10 pm
Subject: Showing off some Tweets

https://twitter.com/paramendra/status/1227962213 Steve Case AOL Founder
https://twitter.com/paramendra/status/1227950181 Padmasree CTO of Cisco
Joe Trippi, Dean 2004 Campaign Manager
http://twitter.com/JoeTrippi/statuses/1221127774
http://twitter.com/paramendra/statuses/1221187540
Huffington Post, top political blog in America
http://twitter.com/huffpost/statuses/1221127779

--
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Hindi And UML

Feb 18, 10:02 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:02:02 -0500
Local: Wed, Feb 18 2009 10:02 pm
Subject: Hindi And UML

I wish Subhashii had provided the web address for this piece of news.
But from the little information I have, I would like to express my
reaction to the event.

What was the event? Was this at the UML convention? Were Mahato, Yadav
and Tripathy invited guests? If this was at the UML convention, and if
the vast majority of those in the audience were people whose primary
language is Nepali, and we all know Mahato speaks fluent Nepali, it
might have been a good idea for Mahato to have addressed the crowd in
Nepali on his own.

On the other hand, more than 15 years ago Mirja Dil Sad Beg, then a
RPP MP, addressed a mass meeting in Sidhupalchok in Hindi.

The three Madhesi leaders speaking in Nepali does not take away from
the fact that Hindi is the natural link language in the Terai.

Another way to look at this is that there is a certain Pahadi
hostility to the Hindi language. That hostility needs to subside.
___________________________________________________________________________
Butwal...... followed by disgruntled crowd against Mahato for
addressing in Hindi, Upendra Yadav and Hridyesh Tripathi spoke in
Nepali. ...... the mass meeting and walked out. There is a need
for UMDF to be reactivated. .

Does anyone of us hold any data to prove scientifically which language
is the most feasible one to join the people of Madhesh speaking
maithili, bhojpuri, awadhi, tharu etc. However, it is now time to
integrate English in Madhesh.

Subhash Shah
London

Mahato act angers crowd

Feb 16 - The mass jeered when General Secretary of the Nepal
Sadhbhavana Party Rajendra Mahato started waxing eloquent in Hindi
instead of Nepali. Despite the protest, Mahato went on, saying, "I
don't think it's difficult to understand Hindi. Why are you objecting
to the use of Hindi when you are living in Madhesh?" "In new Nepal,
all groups should have representation," he went on, "New Nepal should
accept people, who speak different languages." A member of the
convention management committee, Ramnath Dhakal, tried to pacify the
crowd, in vain. It was then that Mahato gave in to the crowd's demand.
"This kind of mentality will not help build new Nepal," Mahato
concluded in Nepali.

--
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Broadband And Madhesi Liberation

Feb 11, 8:36 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:36:42 -0500
Local: Wed, Feb 11 2009 8:36 pm
Subject: Broadband And Madhesi Liberation

Broadband And Madhesi Liberation
http://madhesi.blogspot.com/2009/02/broadband-and-madhesi-liberation.html

--
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As Per The Constitution

Feb 11, 3:02 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:02:25 -0500
Local: Wed, Feb 11 2009 3:02 pm
Subject: As Per The Constitution

I think this Google Group is a pretty good place to start work on the
new constitution. I think Nepal should shoot for the shortest, most
progressive constitution in the world. The details come in the form of
laws and bills later on. This is what I have proposed since a long
time ago. What do you all think?

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/unification-of-madhesi-parties.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-shape-federalism.html

PS. When you send emails to this think tank, please tidy it up. Only
send your writing, not the emails of everyone else in that threat
conversation, because those are already posted before you replied.

Web 5.0 Is Da Bomb

Feb 8, 8:23 am
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2009 07:23:50 -0500
Local: Sun, Feb 8 2009 8:23 am
Subject: Web 5.0 Is Da Bomb

Web 5.0 Is Da Bomb
http://technbiz.blogspot.com/2009/02/web-50-is-da-bomb.html

I Get Twitter

Jan 28, 6:08 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:08:33 -0500
Local: Wed, Jan 28 2009 6:08 pm
Subject: I Get Twitter

I Get Twitter
http://technbiz.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-get-twitter.html

--
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Madhesi Gathering: Shangrila: Jay Kishan Heights: New Year (humor piece)

Jan 13, 4:21 pm
From: "Paramendra Bhagat"
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:21:50 -0500
Local: Tues, Jan 13 2009 4:21 pm
Subject: Madhesi Gathering: Shangrila: Jay Kishan Heights: New Year (humor piece)

Madhesi Gathering: Shangrila: Jay Kishan Heights: New Year
http://madhesi.blogspot.com/2009/01/madhesi-gathering-shangrila-jay-kishan.html

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Global Madhesi Organization

Nov 16 2008, 10:32 pm
From: "Paramendra Bhagat"
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:32:15 -0500
Local: Sun, Nov 16 2008 10:32 pm
Subject: Global Madhesi Organization

http://madhesi.blogspot.com/2008/11/global-madhesi-organization.html

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Madhesh Think Tank: Sukhdev Sah, Tharu Movement, Dalit

2009-04-05T20:14:00.004-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank (private)

NASA Satellite Image: Forest Fires in Nepal

Mar 13, 10:25 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:25:45 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Fri, Mar 13 2009 10:25 pm
Subject: NASA Satellite Image: Forest Fires in Nepal

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=37518

Let us support Tharu Movement

Mar 11, 1:07 am
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:07:02 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Wed, Mar 11 2009 1:07 am
Subject: Re: Let us support Tharu Movement

After Tharu Movement, Dalit, Muslim And Women's Movements
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/03/after-tharu-movement-dalit-muslim-and.html

I wholeheartedly support the ongoing Tharu movement, I have from the
very beginning. I go one step further to say I look forward to the
Dalits, Muslims and women of the Terai similary rising up, similarly
waking up to claim their due share at the table.

Neither the Pahadi parties - Maoist, UML, NC - nor the Madhesi parties
have done right by the Tharus, the Dalits, the Muslims and the women.

Terai's first satellite TV channel launched

Mar 11, 1:05 am
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:05:43 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Wed, Mar 11 2009 1:05 am
Subject: Re: Terai's first satellite TV channel launched

This is great.

Happy Holi

Mar 11, 12:24 am
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:24:47 -0400
Local: Wed, Mar 11 2009 12:24 am
Subject: Happy Holi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm17BPGvZSc

--
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News reg Sukhdev Sah

Baburam Bhattarai: Proposed Constitution

Mar 3, 2:36 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 13:36:05 -0500
Local: Tues, Mar 3 2009 2:36 pm
Subject: Baburam Bhattarai: Proposed Constitution

Baburam Bhattarai: Proposed Constitution
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/03/baburam-bhattarai-proposed-constitution.html

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Baburam.Constitution.doc
150K View Download

TweetDeck, Power Twitter, Twitter Globe, Better Than Facebook

Mar 3, 1:24 am
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 21:24:10 -0800 (PST)
Local: Tues, Mar 3 2009 1:24 am
Subject: TweetDeck, Power Twitter, Twitter Globe, Better Than Facebook

TweetDeck, Power Twitter, Twitter Globe, Better Than Facebook
http://technbiz.blogspot.com/2009/03/tweetdeck-power-twitter-twitter-globe.html

Dalits are not Madhesi

Feb 28, 12:46 am
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:46:09 -0800 (PST)
Local: Sat, Feb 28 2009 12:46 am
Subject: Our Contribution To A New Constitution

I think this vibrant thread shows members of this think tank have an
important role to play in the making of a new constitution for Nepal.

I am going to study this constitution draft uploaded to this thread by
Bal Krishna Jha:

National Coalition Against Racial Discrimination: Proposed
Constitution
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/02/national-coalition-against-racial.html

I skimmed through it. I think it looks great.

Those who have followed my blog (http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com)
for the past few years know I have taken my proposed constitution for
Nepal through many drafts.

Some questions I ask are;

(1) Why are people hellbent on drafting a really long and wordy
constitution? Why should we not shoot to write the shortest
constitution in the world? A lot of issues that should go into laws
and bylaws to be passed by a parliament people are trying to put into
the constitution.

(2) I think the map for federalism is less important than the formula
for power distribution between the center and the states. What if they
do agree to One Terai, One State, and create three or five states in
the hills and then say in the upper house each state will have 20
representatives? Then? That would bring forth a permanent colonization
of the Terai.

(3) Should we or should we not retain the current 75 districts? That
is a key question.

(4) Should we go for ethnic federalism or geographic federalism?

(5) Should we not adopt multi-member constituencies for elections to
the lower house? That is the most popular form of elections in the
world.

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-shape-federalism.html

My personal thing to say is these below are the two most important
goals for the next constitution.

(1) Turn Nepal into a multi-party democracy of state-funded parties.
That one provision will turn Nepal into the number one democracy on
the planet.
(2) Make sure at least one third of the legislature is female by law.

Mar 1, 1:12 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 09:12:57 -0800 (PST)
Local: Sun, Mar 1 2009 1:12 pm
Subject: Re: Dalits are not Madhesi

The Dalits, Muslism and Tharus in the Terai don't feel Madhesi the
same way we Madhesis don't feel Nepali. We are going to have to face
the fact that the Dalits, Muslims, Tharus and women in the Terai have
been marginalized. That acknowledgement is fundamental to getting them
to join us in the larger struggle against Pahadi suppression that is
wholesale. The Pahadis don't discriminate between Madhesi Dalits,
Madhesi women, Madhesi Muslims, Madhesi Tharus, Madhesi Yadavs,
Madhesi Babhans. They suppress all indiscriminately. And in the case
of the Tharus in western Terai, their suppression is totally at the
hands of the Pahadis.

Reply to Bijay Risal

Mar 1, 1:26 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 09:26:39 -0800 (PST)
Local: Sun, Mar 1 2009 1:26 pm
Subject: Reply to Bijay Risal

Reply to Bijay Risal
UNITED WE STAND AND DIVIDED WE FALL
http://bijayrisal.blogspot.com/2009/02/united-we-stand-and-divided-we-all.html

Bijayji. You make it sound like the only way Nepal will stay intact is
if the DaMaJaMa shut up. That if they complain of injustice, the
country will break up. That those who complain of racism are the ones
who are racist. I am alarmed that an educated person like you can not
do better by the task of creating a new Nepal. A more just Nepal will
be a more united Nepal, a federal Nepal will be a stronger Nepal, but
if that is not true, if a more just Nepal will not be a more united
Nepal, that Nepal deserves to break up into pieces.

Strategy that Madhesi should understand quickly

Mar 1, 1:02 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 09:02:59 -0800 (PST)
Local: Sun, Mar 1 2009 1:02 pm
Subject: Re: Strategy that Madhesi should understand quickly
Reply | Reply to author | Forward | Print | Individual message | Show original | Remove | Report this message | Find messages by this author
Reply to Lalit Jha:
Internalized Racism Among Nepalis In NYC
demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/05/internalized-racism-among-nepalis-
in.html
Madhesi Self Hate
demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/08/madhesi-self-hate.html
MaMaMaMa
demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/06/mamamama.html
मधेशीसँग संख्या छ ...
demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/05/blog-post.html
Bahun, Chhetri, Sunni
demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/06/bahun-chhetri-sunni.html

Lalitji. You have brought forth a very important topic. We have to
discuss this frankly. I especially draw your attention to this:

Madhesi Self Hate
demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/08/madhesi-self-hate.html

We spend too much too much time talking about Pahadi bad behavior, and
too little time talking about Madhesi bad behavior, and I mean not
only the infighting among the Madhesi masses back in Nepal, but also
sometimes strange behavior by the by definition elite Madhesis in
America and elsewhere.

Curiously it has been my observation that the Pahadis in NYC are like
the Madhesis in Nepal: powerless. And are similarly guilty of much
internalized racism.

Internalized Racism Among Nepalis In NYC
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/05/internalized-racism-among-nepalis-in.html
Madhesi Self Hate
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/08/madhesi-self-hate.html
MaMaMaMa
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/06/mamamama.html
मधेशीसँग संख्या छ ...
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/05/blog-post.html
Bahun, Chhetri, Sunni
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/06/bahun-chhetri-sunni.html

Madhesh Think Tank: Board

2009-04-05T18:12:00.003-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank (private)

Summary of the Discussion on taking this Think Tank to the next level

Mar 24, 10:53 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:53:22 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 24 2009 10:53 pm
Subject: Summary of the Discussion on taking this Think Tank to the next level

The majority opinion seems to be to keep this think tank as is. There
are people who want to go back to the founding principles. I don't buy
into that. Nepal was founded as a monarchy. So it never should have
become a republic, right? And there is the Biplav Yadav school of
thought that says this think tank has not attained the maturity level
to go public and hold elections. I see that to be true. And then there
are people who are worried if the conversations here go public then
that might hurt their careers and/or social standings. That would be a
practical matter. But then can you imagine the martyrs getting
practical and saving their lives?

For now I rest my case. Ram Sah and I both want to make the archives
public. But I guess we will have to wait until the majority opinion
gets there. That is the democratic way.

The status quo thought is the thought of a backward community that
wishes to stay backward. That is my observation. I guess I get to
focus more on my own organization: http://hamnep.googlepages.com

Resolution

Mar 25, 5:19 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:19:18 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Wed, Mar 25 2009 5:19 pm
Subject: Resolution

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesi Now that this is no longer a
mailing list, but a public forum, I think this
http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank can continue as is.
I am glad I brought up ideas and ignited some discussion, but I have
decided to respect the majority opinion with equal enthusiasm. I guess
people do face the public as they move about in their various spheres,
but they like to come back to this private group as their watering
hole. The relaxed atmosphere is due to the group being private. I
appreciate that. I mean, I still think making the archives public
would be more beneficial to the Madhesi cause, but I am for free
speech, freewheeling discussion, but I am also for respecting majority
opinion. Let's keep at it. Manjil ek aur rahi do, phir pyar kaise na
ho? I don't doubt any member's commitment to the Madhesi cause, it is
just that we don't always agree on how best to serve the cause, and
that is okay. Kunda Kunda Pani, Munda Munda Buddhi. If we were to not
have disagreements, we would not need a group, one person would be
enough.

Thanks Ram Sah and Himanshu Shekhar for sticking out your necks.
Thanks Ram Manohar for coming up with a creative resolution to the
"crisis." And I don't think I ever underappreciated BJDJ's work as
this group's administrator, and he does not feel another way. It is
all cool.

I talked to Google through Twitter, and it worked.

Mar 26, 3:49 pm
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:49:19 -0400
Local: Thurs, Mar 26 2009 3:49 pm
Subject: I talked to Google through Twitter, and it worked.

http://twitter.com/paramendra/status/1396372381

Mar 26, 4:48 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:48:24 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Mar 26 2009 4:48 pm
Subject: Re: I talked to Google through Twitter, and it worked.

http://technbiz.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-talked-to-google-through-twitter-and.html

FM Yadav's advisor accused of embezzlement of funds

Mar 25, 4:22 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:22:25 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Wed, Mar 25 2009 4:22 pm
Subject: Re: FM Yadav's advisor accused of embezzlement of funds

First they said the Tharu movement was against the Madhesis when the
truth is the Tharus have been subjugated for centuries by the Pahadi
rulers. Then they said the Muslims are also against the Madhesis just
like the Tharus.

I do not doubt the Tharus and the Muslims have been marginalized and
have their own unique identities.

But so do Bahuns and Chhetris. They also have their own unique
identities. But they are very much part of the larger Pahadi identity.
You don't see Bahuns agitating to say we are not Pahadi, we are
Bahun.

Tharus, Muslims, Dalits are all Madhesi, but they have genuine
grienvances within that pan Madhesi identity. For reservation purposes
it might not be a bad idea to have separate quotas for the Tharus, the
Muslims and the Terai Dalits. On the other hand, if you were to have
one quota for Dalits, all the Pahadi Dalits will benefit, and the
Madhesi Dalits will be left high and dry. Similarly, if the Tharus
were to become part of the larger Janajati category for reservation
purposes, their quota will get eaten up by the Pahadi Janajatis.

We have legitimate caste, class, gender, ethnicity issues within the
pan Madhesi identity, and I am for addressing those because only that
way will we be able to create a more healthy Madhesi identity. I
really do want the Tharus, the Muslims and the Dalits to wake up. But
instead they want to go from one form of sleep to another. They have
shown the tendency to become pawns at the hands of the Pahadi ruling
class. We have to watch out. We have to engage them. We have to open
dialogue with them.

Second they attacked Suman which is a way of attacking the MPRF party
president Upendra Yadav. Like Ratanji says, this is the same CIAA that
jailed Deuba on behalf of the king, the same CIAA that harassed Jay
Prakash Gupta. And we have to fight back. I want to know if the Maoist
leadership had anything to do with this.

Heck, they also attacked Sukhdev Sah for having a green cad. For
having a green card! Of all things. The way they talk about Sah's
green card you would think a green card is some kind of cocaine.

Election Timetable For The Madhesh Think Tank Board -- April 2009

Mar 23, 7:04 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:04:22 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 23 2009 7:04 pm
Subject: Election Timetable For The Madhesh Think Tank Board -- April 2009

(1) All individuals wanting to be Board members will have to declare
candidacy by April 7 midnight EST. They may do so by replying to this
message, by emailing madhesh-think-tank@googlegroups.com You can run
for Chairperson, or Board Member - 3 slots. There are four positions
open. The current Administrator will remain in place for one year.
(2) The ballot will be made public by April 10.
(3) All votes will have to be in by April 17. Each member gets to cast
four votes. Send your votes by email to madhesh-think-
tank@googlegroups.com
(4) Final results are to be published by April 20.
(5) The new Board comes into office on April 21.

http://madhesi5.googlepages.com

Paramendra Bhagat
Election Volunteer

Mar 23, 8:40 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:40:30 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 23 2009 8:40 pm
Subject: Re: Election Timetable For The Madhesh Think Tank Board -- April 2009

Board member of the Madhesh Think Tank Board. Would you be interested?
Thanks.

Mar 23, 10:08 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:08:47 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 23 2009 10:08 pm
Subject: Re: Election Timetable For The Madhesh Think Tank Board -- April 2009

Lalit Jha: " In regards to this forum, suggest that we continue to
focus on recruiting more members and encourage
more participation and more volunteers."

That is precisely what I want to happen. But you can't keep doing the
same thing, and expect a different result.

I want us to have more members, more participation, and that is why I
am proposing what I am proposing. I am aware I am pushing people out
of their comfort zones. But that is the least we can do for the
Madhesi cause from the comfort of our First World lives.

Mar 23, 10:29 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:29:12 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 23 2009 10:29 pm
Subject: Re: Election Timetable For The Madhesh Think Tank Board -- April 2009

My proposals should not bother any existing member who has liked the
old ways. Nothing has to change for you if you don't like the
changes.

(1) You can't complain that you now receive too many emails. Go here
and change your settings: http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank/subscribe
If you have chosen to receive a daily digest, you of course only read
the emails you wish to read, you sure don't have to read any or all.
On the other hand you can choose to receive no emails at all, you can
decide you want to go the site itself and read select messages online.
http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank

(2) You don't have to sit on the Board if you don't want to. You don't
have to vote if you don't want to.

(3) Your right to write on any topic of your choice has not changed.
If anything that right is now even more entrenched.

I am working to take this group to the next level, that is all.
100-200 people claiming to be among the top Madhesis have an
obligation to the 13 million Madhesis. That is all.

Largest Madhesi Mailing List In The World Now Largest Online Madhesi Forum

Mar 25, 4:13 am
From: paramendra
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:13:16 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Wed, Mar 25 2009 4:13 am
Subject: Largest Madhesi Mailing List In The World Now Largest Online Madhesi Forum

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesi
1400 plus Members
All members can post.
Each member is now set to receive Daily Digests. Please go change your
settings if that is not what you want. http://groups.google.com/group/madhesi/subscribe

Thank you Ram Manohar for the suggestion.

Mar 24, 10:34 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:34:20 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 24 2009 10:34 pm
Subject: Re: Suggestion / Request

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesi/about This group has 1400 plus
Madhesi members, but it is a mailing list, the largest Madhesi mailing
list in the world, not a discussion forum. I could not possibly open
it up and turn it into a discussion forum. The archives at that group
have always been public.

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank This group on the
other hand has members who lead Madhesi organizations all over the
world, and others are people known personally by at least one other
member. So this group is more of a community, and a discussion forum.

Mar 23, 3:46 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:46:32 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 23 2009 3:46 pm
Subject: Re: HI

Of all the Madhesi diaspora organizations, AIMSA is my favorite. I am
so proud of these people.

Mar 22, 10:03 am
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 07:03:30 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Mar 22 2009 10:03 am
Subject: Re: Request to add new member

Ram Sah: "In my view, it is time to think of taking this group/forum
to still higher level. In my discussion with Lalit Jha Ji yesterday,
the thing emerged that we create a Madhesh Think Tank website and
provide opportunity for
Madhesh-related organizations to be linked to this website. What do
you think?"

There are two things that can be done to take this think tank to the
next level.

(1) Make the archives public so all those Madhesis who are not members
can still read the messages and follow the discussions. That much
widership (which gets measured by Google) will also enhance the
discussions here. We have to turn this into some kind of a cyber
parliament for the leading Madhesis of the world.

(2) Keep adding members to the group. Bring in more leading Madhesis
from all parts of the world, especially from inside Nepal.

PS. I have already linked to this think tank from my blog on Nepal.
But that link makes no sense if the archives are not public.

Mar 22, 10:08 am
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 07:08:19 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Mar 22 2009 10:08 am
Subject: Re: Request to add new member

Ram Sah: "......... taking this group/forum to still higher
level......What do you think?"

Also, members should delete the original message (s) from the body of
their email (s) when sending replies to be posted/dispatched to the
rest of the members. Just retain the subject line and maybe a line or
two from the original message that you are responding to. Otherwise
messages end up looking so untidy.

Some Ways To Improve This Think Tank

Mar 22, 6:24 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:24:01 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Mar 22 2009 6:24 pm
Subject: Re: Paul Soren: New member request

I think it would be a very good idea to accept Paul Soren's request
for membership. For members we should have Madhesis AND friends of
Madhesh. Someone like Soren can help spread the word, that helps the
Madhesi cause.

Soon I am going to be writing proposed guidelines for this Think Tank
that I would want to throw for feedback, criticism and circulation.

Mar 23, 12:46 am
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:46:06 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 23 2009 12:46 am
Subject: Re: Paul Soren: New member request

There are a few things I would like to point out.

(1) It is okay for people to disagree. Actually disagreements are
welcome. We need live debates. The emphasis should not be on lack of
disagreements and a snuffing out of differences in opinion. The
emphasis should be on respectful disagreements. When we can not agree,
we respectfully disagree.

(2) I like the idea of seeking consensus, but when we can't, we have
to learn to vote. Majority opinion gets to carry the day.

(3) Because this think tank is cyber/virtual, to some people it is not
"real." To me it is very real.

(4) To some people words are merely words, not action. I say words are
action too.

(5) When you bring (3) and (4) together, you come to realize this
think tank is a vibrant virtual organization where a lot of work gets
done.

(6) This think tank has 75 members but less than 10 active members,
and barely about five very active members. That is too little. If we
were to have 200 members, we might end up with 20 active members, and
that would be better. So let's expand.

(7) This think tank is the only place I know where the leading members
of the global Madhesi diaspora congregate. I think having a five
member Board would be a great idea.

(8) I don't understand why we should be scared of democracy and
transparency.

(9) As for the Paul Soren issue, that is an excellent topic to bring
up for an open vote. Give a deadline by which interested members
should have voted, and let people vote. My vote is to bring him in.

Mar 23, 4:08 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:08:47 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 23 2009 4:08 pm
Subject: Re: Paul Soren: New member request

This has become an interesting thread.

(1) Should we only allow Madhesis into this think tank? If so, then
define Madhesi. A Bahun living in the Terai is not Madhesi, at least
by the Nepal Sarkar's definition. Is Tharu Madhesi? Is Muslim Madhesi?
If we are open only to Madhesi members, are we open to ALL Madhesi
members? So any Madhesi with an email address can request membership?
Or does an applicant have to be personally known by at least one
existing member of the group? Even if this think tank is to keep at
its current ways, we need to come up with a definition of who a member
is.

(2) This think tank is guilty of a certain elitism. My instincts are
more egalitarian, open, democratic, transparent, heading towards mass
based.

(3) What is the purpose of this group? Is the purpose that Bijay Raut
convinces Ratan Jha and Ratan Jha convinces Binod Shah and Binod Shah
convinces Biplav Yadav and Biplav Yadav convinces Vijay Kumar and
Vijay Kumar convinces Ram Manohar Sah and Ram Manohar Sah convinces
Ram Sah and Ram Sah convinces Subhash Sah? What we have right now is
an echo chamber. This is a major disservice to the Madhesi cause. The
purpose of this think tank is not, should not be that 70 elitist
Madhesis can help each other out, reach out to each other, and massage
each other's egos, that we are the chosen few feeling of elitism. The
purpose should be to bring together the top 70, or the top 200
Madhesis in the world to see what we can do for the 13 million
Madhesis on the planet. If we are not even open to sharing our
communication with at least those members of that 13 million who might
be online in the various Terai towns and various parts of the world,
then this think tank feels like constipation.

(4) Ram Sah, Lalit Jha and I seem to be in agreement on this one.

(5) Of course Bijay Raut does not want elections, because if there are
elections next year he might no longer be Administrator. I am with
Subhash Sah on this one. We need a structure. That way we will be more
efficient, more productive. Periodic elections will make us more
healthy as a group.

(6) And I am suspicious of Ratan Jha being for a global Madhesi
organization first, but then coming out against the idea once Ram
Sah's name got proposed for that organization's leadership. Now he is
opposed to having an elected Board for this think tank. I am
suspicious. I am suspicious of people who want to hold leadership
positions but who are scared of elections.

(7) On the Soren issue, you could argue just like a non Nepali can not
become a MP in Nepal so a Soren does not get to join this think tank.
But that decision has to be preceded by debate and discussion. I am
glad we are talking.

(8) http://madhesi5.googlepages.com As to my candidacy, this is what I
have to say. I am the person who launched ANTA in New York, where its
biggest presence in America still is. I was part of the conversations
that launched AIMSA, my favorite Madhesi diaspora organization, and
ANMUK. I poured more time and energy into the Madhesi Kranti of
January February 2007 than any other diaspora Madhesi. I am the
ultimate digital democrat among the Nepalis outside Nepal. But then I
also was one of the top Obama volunteers in all of NYC, so it is not
like I am only digital. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Mar 23, 4:19 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:19:30 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 23 2009 4:19 pm
Subject: Re: Paul Soren: New member request

"Access: Only members can view group content"

Some reasons not to make the archives public.

(1) Oh no, all my Pahadi friends who are only friends with me because
I don't talk Madhesi rights in their presence will find out that I do
talk Madhesi rights in private, and once they find out, they are no
longer going to be friends with me.

(2) I am different from the Madhesi masses, I am better. I am above
them. If a Madhesi who can come online from Janakpur can access the
archives just like I can, then how am I better than that Janakpur
Madhesi?

(3) I am too lazy to engage my other elite Madhesi friends over email.
To me this think tank is like an email account. So it has to stay
private.

Mar 23, 5:36 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:36:40 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 23 2009 5:36 pm
Subject: Re: Paul Soren: New member request

"In response to Paramendra's usual long email (you think too fast, my
friend!), I would like to reiterate what Ratan ji said it very
succintly in his earlier email: "Regarding running this Forum, all we
need is few dedicated members (Volunteers) who can streamline and
steer the discussion, sometime involving serious and sensitive/
complicated issues, to a logical/rational end which will be of value
to Madheshi people and its leadership. That was the founding mission
of establishing this Think Tank. It'd become unmanageable if we dig
too much into formalities.""

So because Ratan Jha says something, it is right? I don't buy into
that. Ratan Jha is only one among the 70 plus votes in this forum.
Most often what Ratan Jha says makes sense to me as well, but what we
are talking about here is democracy, not one person. There is no
compromising with the democratic process.

We have to move with the speed of the needs of the Madhesi cause, we
can't try and force the Madhesi cause to move at our lethargic pace.

Ratan Jha's sentiment might have made sense during the early months of
this group, but now it is time to go along with Ram Sah's and Lalit
Jha's sentiment, which is that it is time to take this group to the
next level.

Taj Mohammad Miya: It’s unclear who Madhesis are

Mar 23, 4:44 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:44:19 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 23 2009 4:44 pm
Subject: Taj Mohammad Miya: It’s unclear who Madhesis are

http://www.kantipuronline.com/interview.php?&nid=185948
Joint National Muslim Struggle Committee (JNMSC)

My comment: We have to face the fact that Muslims in the Terai towns
don't exactly experience equality. Socio-economically they lag behind.
The problems with having one big quota for Madhesi reservations is all
the Yadava and Jhas and Sah will benefit, and the Tharu, Dalit, Muslim
and women will get left behind. Perhaps the Madhesi Dalits, the
Madhesi Muslims and the Tharus, and the Madhesi women need their own
separate quotas in the 45% reservations promised in public sector
jobs.

Twitter, Facebook

Mar 23, 1:40 am
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:40:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Twitter, Facebook

https://twitter.com
http://www.facebook.com

I recommend all members of this think tank sign up for these two
social networks online. They are great ways to connect between people
who hardly ever get to meet in person, which would be us. Through
Facebook we get to share pictures of Madhesi events worldwide. We get
to comment on the pictures.

https://twitter.com/paramendra
http://technbiz.blogspot.com/2009/03/cisco-unified-computing-system-to-tidy.html

Mar 23, 3:45 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:45:07 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 23 2009 3:45 pm
Subject: Re: Twitter, Facebook

http://madhesi.ning.com

This is a great site that Surendraji has created. I just signed up. I
encourage others to do the same.

MJF Split: What Does It Mean?

Mar 22, 9:58 am
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:58:14 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Mar 22 2009 9:58 am
Subject: MJF Split: What Does It Mean?

MJF dissidents float new party
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2009/mar/mar22/news08.php

(१) Mao long ago noticed every time he expelled half the members of
his central committee, the party overall doubled in size. This split
might mean the MJF will grow.
(२) These MJF leaders are not that influential. The party stays the
same as before.
(३) This split means the party has lost between one quarter to one
third of its strength.

Which do you think it is?

Proposed Guidelines For The Madhesh Think Tank

Mar 22, 7:02 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:02:51 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Mar 22 2009 7:02 pm
Subject: Proposed Guidelines For The Madhesh Think Tank

(Rough draft being sent out for circulation)

http://madhesi5.googlepages.com

(1) The Madhesh Think Tank (http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-
think-tank) will attempt to bring in as members all the leading
Madhesis on the planet in whatever field. But The Madhesh Think Tank
will not limit itself to such leading members. Any Madhesi or friend
of Madhesh may request to become a Member. Whey they do so, they will
have to submit their brief bio which will be made public to the group
upon approval. Existing members may propose new members. A majority
vote of the Board will approve membership requests.
(2) The Madhesh Think Tank will have two administrators at any one
time, one active, one dormant.
(3) The Madhesh Think Tank will have a five member Board to be
elected annually. Any member of the Think Tank may seek to be a Board
member. If there are more than five contestants, an election will be
held. All members get to cast five votes each. The top five vote
getters win. The Board will make all final decisions on who to approve
for membership or not within the guidelines below that have been
passed by the membership at large. The active administrator will be a
de facto member of the Board for the first year, but for subsequent
years will have to be elected. The Chairperson of the Board will the
dormant administrator. Five slots: Chairperson of the Board,
Administrator, Board Member, Board Member, Board Member. If someone
running for Chairperson loses the election, but is still one of the
top five vote getters, that person gets to become a Board Member. Each
person contesting gets to submit a max 100 word profile of themselves
to the Board that will then put all of them together and send them out
at once to make a case as to why they deserve to win. The 100 words
may include web addresses. That is the only campaigning that will be
allowed. All Board meetings will be conducted over email.
(4) All voting to do with The Madhesh Think Tank will be open. As in
people will send in their votes over email, and the final tally will
be made public as to who voted for what, whom. Members will have to
have cast their votes by the deadline set for each vote. The outgoing
Board will act as the Election Commission for the next Board.
(5) The Madhesh Think Tank will keep its archives public. But only
members may participate in the discussions.
(6) The Madhesh Think Tank is a free speech domain, but obscenity,
profanity, and defamatory language is discouraged.
(7) The Madhesh Think Tank Board has a right to expel members through
majority vote. Expelled members have a right to appeal any such
decision. All five Board members then get to make a second decision
that will be final, but each Board member will have to explain as to
why they decided the way they decided, and the explanations will be
made public in The Madhesh Think Tank. A new Board may revisit that
decision.

(I hereby declare my candidacy for Chairperson of the Board)

Mar 22, 7:41 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:41:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: Proposed Guidelines For The Madhesh Think Tank

http://madhesi5.googlepages.com

Let's set a deadline for the end of March.

All feedback to these guidelines will have to be submitted by the end
of this month. All votes for and against these guidelines will have to
be submitted by the end of the month when it will be tallied.

Once we have the guidelines by the end of the month, then we hold
elections.

All individuals wanting to be Board members will have to declare
candidacy by April 7. The ballot will be made public by April 10. All
votes will have to be in by April 17. Results are to be published by
April 20. The new Board comes into office on April 21.

And this entire thing happens in a transparent fashion in real time,
right here at this think tank.

http://madhesi5.googlepages.com

Student Elections: How Did The Madhesi Parties Do?

Mar 21, 10:53 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2009 19:53:25 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Mar 21 2009 10:53 pm
Subject: Student Elections: How Did The Madhesi Parties Do?

The Pahadi media has news only of the three Pahadi parties. How did
the Madhesi parties do in the student elections?

And also. Welcome Saritaji to this think tank. Saritaji and I were
both Vice General Secretaries to the Nepal Samajwadi Janata Dal in the
mid 90s. Our party had two MPs.

And Welcome Purushottam Shah. Janakpur guy. BNKS graduate. College
student in America.

Mar 21, 10:58 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2009 19:58:07 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Mar 21 2009 10:58 pm
Subject: Re: Student Elections: How Did The Madhesi Parties Do?

ANNFSU lead continues in FSU polls
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2009/mar/mar21/news05.php

...... only five campuses are left to announce the polls
results. ....... ANNFSU has won FSU presidents in 92 campuses
including whole of its panels in 65 campuses.

Madhesh Think Tank: Murari Raj Sharma, Upendra Yadav

2009-04-05T18:01:00.003-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank (private)

Hindi and Shape and Form of Federalism

Mar 26, 5:14 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:14:37 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Mar 26 2009 5:14 pm
Subject: Hindi and Shape and Form of Federalism

I think federalism is the number one topic that this think tank could
make contributions to. But I have not seen much discussion on the
topic here.

I think we spend too much energy on the map and too little on the
distribution of power between the center and the states.

The number one danger we face is we might get the map we want but the
power distribution will deviate in a way that will bring about a
permanent colonization of the Madhesh.

Will the Tharus be more comfortable if we talked instead of Ek Terai
Ek Pradesh instead of Ek Madhesh Ek Pradesh?

How should the members of the lower and upper houses of the federal
Nepal be elected? What should be the election mechanism?

Murari Raj Sharma's Attack On Upendra Yadav

Mar 26, 11:00 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:00:30 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Mar 26 2009 11:00 pm
Subject: Murari Raj Sharma's Attack On Upendra Yadav

http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2009/others/interview/mar/interview01.php
‘Foreign Minister Yadav has violated all diplomatic protocols’

When a new government comes into power, it is known to appoint a new
slew of ambassadors. Why is Murari getting all worked up about that
basic procedure? This is yet another episode in the Pahadi ruling
class not being able to digest the Madhesi appointees to the two slots
in UK and the USA. We have to speak back.

Mar 26, 11:01 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:01:22 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Mar 26 2009 11:01 pm
Subject: Re: Murari Raj Sharma's Attack On Upendra Yadav

Upendra Yadav would be Murari's boss, right?

Mar 26, 11:38 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:38:08 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Mar 26 2009 11:38 pm
Subject: Re: Murari Raj Sharma's Attack On Upendra Yadav

Murari Raj Sharma - A Relic of the “Old Nepal”
http://nepaliperspectives.blogspot.com/2009/03/murari-raj-sharma-relic-of-old-nepal.html

..... spewing all sorts of nonsensical logic on how he has been
victimized ...... Sharma’s false sense of entitlement, his bahunist
hubris, and his familial ties to Girija Prasad Koirala, easily justify
Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav’s actions. ....... Murari Raj Sharma’s
blood relations to Girija Prasad Koirala no longer holds the type of
political currency it once did ....... Murari Raj Sharma’s unfounded
sense of entitlement is pasted all over his interview. Vetting process
or not, Sharma was a political appointee of an era long past when the
process of vetting was dominated by members of Sharma’s own political
allegiance - the Nepali Congress. Sharma’s past claims of having
“fought for democracy” in Nepal are preposterous distortions of the
truth for his struggle centered squarely around securing his own
future, then his Party’s and had little if anything to do with
Nepal........... one can hardly term the Sharma’s actions as those of
a democrat when he is seen in open defiance of a democratically
established Foreign Minister. .......... Sharma’s rant revolves around
his rent-seeking behavior. ......... Sharma’s sense of false
entitlement is nothing more than a remnant of past feudal
structures ....... Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav has done Nepali a
favor by clearly signaling a departure in Nepal’s foreign affairs,
from the rent-seeking characteristics of Murari Raj Sharma. ..........
Sharma used to be one of the closest confidants of Panchayati Prime
Minister Marich Man Singh. ........... An offspring of the culture of
sycophancy that continues to pervade the Nepali Congress’s internal
“democratic” structure? Now we’re talking! ........ if he had even a
drop of diplomatic blood running through his veins, Sharma, like his
cohorts, would have left his duty station in November of 2008. His
excuse of personal embarrassment at having to cancel appointments with
British dignitaries pales in comparison to the national embarrassment
he has created for the Nepali nation-state. ........... Murari Raj
Sharma’s shameless public mud-slinging conveniently erases his own
record of defying such norms. ....... not diplomatic of Sharma to
continue abusing Nepali tax payers’ funds when he refused to vacate
the Ambassador’s residence in New York - after he had been relieved of
his duties as Nepali Ambassador to the UN. Double-dipping in the
Nepali Government’s and the UN’s coffers was a brazen breach of
conduct in 2003. Refusing to vacate the Nepali Embassy’s premises in
London is just as egregious a crime, in 2008/2009. .............. he
should be equally prepared to face the consequences of his
insubordination should he be found guilty of breaching the norms he
accuses Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav of breaching. ......... the
allegations that Murari Raj Sharma has launched against B. P. Yadav
(another democratically established leader in Nepali politics) are
serious. ......... such thinking appears alien to a disenfranchised
sycophant who appears more concerned with creating controversy for the
Nepali government (on behalf of his lord Koirala and Lady Sujata),
than serving the interests of the Nepali people. ...... Sharma’s
refusal to vacate the Nepali Embassy’s premises in London, and take
leave to tend to his personal matters, are appalling! Is there
anything democratic about Nepali tax payers subsidizing Sharma’s
personal expenses? ........ There are reasons why the Nepali Congress
is in demise ........ Characters like Murari Raj Sharma represent
“glowing” examples of the increasing disenchantment that Nepali people
feel, when it comes to the Nepali Congress. ....... Emerging leaders
in the Nepali Congress would do well to distance themselves from the
likes of Murari Raj Sharma and the distasteful, double-standards his
generation of politicians represent. ........ given the ethnic
dimensions to Sharma’s outburst (and the breach in protocol embodied
by Sharma’s letter to a fellow bahun, Pushpa Kamal Dahal), Minister
Yadav has even more reason to assert his democratically bestowed
position by insisting that Sharma vacate the Nepal government’s
property, immediately.

Mar 26, 11:41 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:41:34 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Mar 26 2009 11:41 pm
Subject: Re: Murari Raj Sharma's Attack On Upendra Yadav

http://nepaliperspectives.blogspot.com/2009/03/murari-raj-sharma-reli...

This is exactly what he did when former foreign minister ramesh nath
pandey did not endorse him as nepal's representative at the UN. He
even tried to argue with the foreign minister during a radio interview
held in washington. This guy is simply pathetic. The Maoists have for
the first time done the nation a favor by removing this
crook. ................. Exposing the double standards that crooks
like Murari show is the only way Nepal can move forward. ........ I
will translate this article to Nepali and definitely publish in
dailies here. ............... "I will go back to Nepal as soon as my
son's GCSE and my wife's heart operation are over" - Bullshit! When
diplomats are recalled from their tenures, they can't give such
pathetic excuses. He is simply trying to cling to the portfolio. He
should quit the embassy and live as private citizen instead of
occupying the official residence and office. This seems to be his
habit. A country's diplomatic relations and protocols
should be dependent on his son's GCSE exams? comon give me a break.
doesn't he know what protocols and diplomatic appropriateness are
after so many years as a diplomat? It is not Minister Yadav but this
Ba-jay who is violating the diplomatic protocols by using his son's
exams as pretext to cling the position and holding Nepal's diplomacy
hostage. ..................... As a Madhesi, every article like this
one makes me feel a little better that the new nepal is a place where
all Madhesis will have equal rights. ........ To make a new nepal, NC
party must be destroyed. Other parties like MJF and TLMD should take
its place. ...... There's no more to it. Not even a King can live off
my tax money for free.... why should this bahunist get even one paisa
from my taxes?

Madhesh Think Tank: Links, Hindi

2009-04-05T17:31:00.003-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank (private)

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesi
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com
http://groups.google.com/group/nepal1

http://madhesi.ning.com
http://www.terai.org
http://madhesi.blogspot.com
http://associationofnepalimadhesisinuk.giving.officelive.com
http://www.madheshuk.org
http://www.aimsanepal.org
http://www.terainepal.org
http://indiamadhesi.wordpress.com
http://www.madhesi.wordpress.com
http://yfmnepal.blogspot.com

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesiinchina
http://groups.google.com/group/madheshi-doctors-association
http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank
http://groups.google.com/group/madheshi-freedom-fighters
http://groups.google.com/group/madheshuk
http://groups.google.com/group/madhesi
http://groups.google.com/group/madhesi---united-we-stand
http://groups.google.com/group/madhesiplatform
http://groups.google.com/group/passionate-madeshis
http://groups.google.com/group/edu4madhesh
http://groups.google.com/group/emadhesh

Apr 5, 5:39 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 14:39:57 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Apr 5 2009 5:39 pm
Subject: Re: madhesh-think-tank

Subhashji.

That the archives of this think tank are not to be made public in real
time as the default option is hard enough on me, but I have respected
that for being the majority opinion.

But anything I write here is mine, and I, of course, get to publish my
writings wherever I want, like here: http://madhesi.blogspot.com

The political leaders you talk about, many of them are members of this
think tank, and they read the writings, some of them all the time,
most of them some of the time.

What report could you possibly be talking about? This group has a
search function. We don't need to write reports. We have search. We
just need to bring in more and more people who can contribute and who
can benefit from what goes on here.

One thing impresses me though. I published some of my stuff here
http://madhesi.blogspot.com only this past hour. I have not emailed
anyone, I have not sent links out to mailing lists, and you already
became aware. How? I am so very impressed.

हिन्दीमें गप्प करेंगे तो कैसा रहेगा?

Apr 2, 10:01 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 19:01:50 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Apr 2 2009 10:01 pm
Subject: हिन्दीमें गप्प करेंगे तो कैसा रहेगा?

http://quillpad.in/nepali/
http://www.google.com/transliterate/indic/
http://www.google.com/ig/adde?moduleurl=http%3A//www.google.com/ig/modules/nepali_keyboard.xml

हिन्दीमें गप्प करेंगे तो कैसा रहेगा?

इस थिंक ट्यांक्में हिन्दीमें गप्प करेंगे तो कैसा रहेगा? हर समय शायद
सम्भव न हो, लेकिन कभी कभी। हर समय सिर्फ अंग्रेजीमें बड्बडाने से काम
नहीं चल्नेको है।

Apr 2, 2:20 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 11:20:57 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Apr 2 2009 2:20 pm
Subject: Re: Information.

Great news from my favorite Madhesi diaspora organization. Keep up the
good work guys. And I really like your emphasis on email. Makes it so
much easier to contribute to the larger Madhesi cause.

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com

Apr 2, 2:29 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 11:29:50 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Apr 2 2009 2:29 pm
Subject: Re: Information.

Bring in 10-20 more AIMSA people into this think tank. All your
chapter presidents perhaps. Send their names and email addresses to
Bijay Raut.

Concept papers on new Constitution

Apr 1, 10:21 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 19:21:37 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Wed, Apr 1 2009 10:21 pm
Subject: Re: Concept papers on new Constitution

Do the other parties have fully written proposed constitutions like
the Maoists do? If yes, can someone please submit those to this think
tank? Thanks.

Apr 2, 2:25 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 11:25:17 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Apr 2 2009 2:25 pm
Subject: Re: Concept papers on new Constitution

Rakeshji. I am comfortable with the idea of there being several
Madhesi parties. It is just that I feel if we want a Madhesi to be the
executive chief of Nepal, I don't see how we can do that unless we
have a unified party.

And I agree we should not be too harsh on the Madhesi leaders. We
should be watchful, but not harsh. And we should praise when praise is
due.

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/unification-of-madhesi-parties.html

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/madhesi-movement-next-phase.html
That there are three or four Madhesi parties is not bad news. There
will be competition and the people will benefit. That is how democracy
works. I never felt bad that there are more than one Madhesi party in
the ring. The more the merrier. The Madhesi people do not need to
depend on any one party to fulfill their aspirations. If the Madhesi
people feel the MJF is not being true to the cause, they might flock
to the TMLP and the Sadbhavana, and vice versa. And that is good news.
That is the beauty of democracy.

Peace, Empowerment, Prosperity for the Terai

Apr 1, 11:51 am
From: Paramendra Bhagat
Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 11:51:40 -0400
Local: Wed, Apr 1 2009 11:51 am
Subject: Peace, Empowerment, Prosperity for the Terai

I think the first order of business is for all the Madhesi parties to
get united. Otherwise you have a scenario where the TMDP is pissed the
MJF has 54 MPs, and the TMDP has only 21, but it does not seem to
notice the Maoists have 229, the NC has 115, and the UML has 108. I
think the TMDP is perfectly capable of competing with the MJF, at some
point even outdoing it, but is that the competition we want? Should
that be our primary goal? Or is that a diversion of energy?

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/unification-of-madhesi-parties.html

I think we have to work to engineer a unification of all the Madhesi
parties, the MJF, the TMDP, the two Sadbhavanas, and the Dalit
Janajati Party.

As important as unification will be the goal of coming up with a swell
constitution for such a unified party. Today Upendra Yadav might end
up party chair of that unified party, but down the line at some future
convention Hridayesh Tripathy, or Rajendra Mahato, or JP Gupta could
end up party chair. As long as there is robust democracy inside the
party, and bookkeeping is kept transparent among all members of the
cetral secretariat, the top 11 leaders in the party, it is but
inevitable that the party will not have the same person in leadership
permanently.

Then these Madhesi leaders need to put some serious pressure on the
government to mainstream the armed political groups and isolate the
criminal gangs. Law and order is one of the most fundamental functions
of the state. The state has to deliver.

We have to ensure Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh in the next constitution. That
is key. But that can not happen unless we get all the Madhesi parties
talking to all the top Tharu, Muslim and Terai Dalit groups. Just like
there is a need for a new Nepali identity, one that is inclusive of
Madhesis, there is a need for a new Madhesi identity, one that the
Tharus, the Muslism and the Dalits can also proudly claim, one that
Madhesi women can also proudly claim.

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2005/08/janata-dal-constitution.html

I think we have to shoot for a four state geographic federalism:
Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali, Terai.

And once we institutionalize federalism and a new constitution, it is
all about rapid economic growth.

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/03/mantra-for-economic-revolution-in-nepal.html

Mar 31, 9:42 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:42:16 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 9:42 pm
Subject: Re: New Member: Dipendra Jha

Wow. What a welcome. This think tank's organic growth to get hold of
people like Diprendra Jha is impressive. We should seek as many such
people from all walks of life as possible. This is one razzmatazz
resume. He even got Mukesh Singh out of the woodworks! Impressive.

> Dipendra Jha
> Human Rights Activist/Coordinator-Civic Dialogue Group
> Workig to Build Peace Movement in Tarai.
> M.A (Human Rights-Mahidol University, Thailand)
> M.A (Peace Studies, Bradford University, UK)
> L.L.B (T.U. Nepal)

Ramkewal Sah: "I am not sure these so-called Madheshi Parties are at
all serious ....... ending violence, extortion, abduction and all
sorts of disturbances of peaceful living in Madhesh/Terai. .........
uniting people of Madhesh ...... the majority non-Khas people are
uniting to forge an alliance to end the century of misrule of Khas-
Rulers (Prachand-Girija-Jhalnath: now the remanants of Shah Rule).
This new revolution is going to happen this summer and so another
polarisation is evident between Majority Madheshi & Majority Pahari
people against the traditional rulers of Madhesh & Pahar."

Ramkewalji's talk of yet another impending revolution is great in that
it promises a non-Khas polarization both in the Terai and the Hills.
But I am a little alarmed that we should be so dismissive not just of
the Khas parties, but also all the Madhesi parties. Why not instead
help all the Madhesi parties get united and help them build the most
progressive party constitution of any, such that it is democratic and
transparent, and there is good power distribution among the various
levels of leadership? Otherwise what are we looking at? Yet another
round of street agitation? Lead by whom? Leading to what? With what
agenda? I am not opposed to the idea of yet another street movement.
But I do emphasize clarity of thought, clarity of goals. And it should
be a state building exercise, ultimately. The state and democracy
should finally attain a level of maturity and sophistication that we
should no longer have to resort to street agitations, no more strikes.
Elections, and parliamentary debates and discussions should be enough.
In the long run.

But I sure would like to know more about Ramkewalji's summer talk.
What's cooking?

Ratan Jha: "I met Deependra ji during CA Election. He was then working
with the victims of the Kapilvastu riot, and was also part of the
Election Monitoring Team in the most sensitive areas of Terai. He can
provide very useful and first-hand
reports from the ground....."

I would really like that. Dipendraji. What is your reading of the law
and order situation in the Terai right now? How bad is it? Are some
parts worse than others? Who are behind it? Is this a case of armed
political groups, or criminal gangs, or both? How much of each? Is
this also a case of the Pahadi police punishing the Madhesi population
for having elected Madhesi party MPs by going slack on law and order?
When can we expect a more normal law and order situation in the Terai?
How long might it take? What will be the steps to the formation of the
state police in the future Terai state? Are serious efforts being made
to mainstream the armed political groups or no?

Dipendra Jha: "we have to work for having Dialogue between and among
MJF-TMDP including all Madhesi parties, the Tharu Samyukta Sangharsh
Samiti (TSSS) TKS, and and Muslim community "

This is where some of the members of this think tank could play a key
role. We need to get all these groups to come together and have
dialogue.

हिन्दीलाई राष्ट् रि्य भाषा बनाउनुपर्ने फोरमको प्रस्ताव

Mar 26, 4:53 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:53:31 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Mar 26 2009 4:53 pm
Subject: Re: हिन्दीलाई राष्ट्रि्य भाषा बनाउनुपर्ने फोरमको प्रस्ताव

This is a must. This has to happen. Hindi is our link language. We
speak Maithili, Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Tharu, Urdu, Marwari, but we are all
Madhesi, and Hindi is our link language. We also have to push to make
Hindi the sixth language at the UN.
__________________________________
काठमाडौं, मार्च २६ । मधेसी जनअधिकार फोरमले हिन्दी भाषालाई राष्ट्रिय
भाषा बनाउनुपर्ने प्रस्तावसहित नयां संविधानका लागि अवधारणा पेश गरेको छ
। आज संविधानसभा संवैधानिक समितिको बैठकमा फोरम अध्यक्ष समेत रहेका
परराष्ट्रमन्त्री उपेन्द्र यादवले केन्द्रमा नेपालीसँगै हिन्दी भाषा
राष्ट्रिय भाषा बनाउन प्रस्ताव गरेका हुन् ।
http://nepaluk.com/news_details.php?catid=4&newsid=1071

Mar 29, 8:12 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:12:46 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Mar 29 2009 8:12 pm
Subject: Re: हिन्दीलाई राष्ट् रि्य भाषा बनाउनुपर्ने फोरमको प्रस्ताव

I don't think the idea is to turn Hindi into the link language in the
Terai and displace Nepali. Nepali is NOT the link language in the
Terai. Hindi is. All we are saying is that fact has to be recognized
in the constitution. That recognition will create more room, not less,
for the cultivation of the local languages like Maithili, Bhojpuri,
Awadhi, Tharu, Urdu. The Hindi language is what makes Madhesi Madhesi.
Otherwise we are very diverse among ourselves.

Mar 30, 5:07 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:07:58 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 30 2009 5:07 pm
Subject: Re: हिन्दीलाई राष् ट् रि्य भाषा बनाउ नुपर्ने फोरमको प ्रस्ताव

Exactly. The Mahendra Path nationalism of one language, one religion,
one culture has to go out the door. The Prachanda Path nationalism of
not going for Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh also has to go out the door.

Mar 30, 5:20 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:20:05 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 30 2009 5:20 pm
Subject: Re: हिन्दीलाई राष् ट् रि्य भाषा बनाउ नुपर्ने फोरमको प ्रस्ताव

That is highly unrealistic. In a country where more than half of the
people are illiterate, and likely only speak their first languages,
they can't even write their own first languages, to make English the
first language!?

KP Sir, what did you have for breakfast today?

Mar 30, 5:21 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:21:56 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 30 2009 5:21 pm
Subject: Re: हिन्दीलाई राष् ट् रि्य भाषा बनाउ नुपर्ने फोरमको प ्रस्ताव

On the other hand, see 4.7, 4.8 of this document.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html

Mar 30, 8:53 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:53:09 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 30 2009 8:53 pm
Subject: Re: हिन्दीलाई राष् ट् रि्य भाषा बनाउ नुपर्ने फोरमको प ्रस्ताव

JP Sir, that was me appealing to your sense of humor!

Mar 31, 12:57 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:57:23 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:57 pm
Subject: Re: हिन्दीलाई राष्ट् रि्य भाषा बनाउनुपर्ने फोरमको प्रस्ताव

What do you think?

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html

# The education system shall follow a tri-lingual policy up to Grade
10, beyond which it is for each individual institution to decide on
its own as to the language of instruction. The first language is to be
the student's first language, the second language is to be Nepali. For
those for whom Nepali might be their first language, the student may
choose any language spoken in Nepal. The third language is to be
English, the contemporary global language of science and commerce.
This policy applies to schools in both the private and the public
sectors. The language of instruction for all other subjects to Grade
10 will be a decision to be made by the individual school board for
the public schools and by the owners of the private schools: it is to
be one of the three - Nepali, Hindi, and English - or a combination.
Other languages spoken in Nepal may also be added to the list after an
autonomous, national Education Commission decides that enough
educational material is available in the said language.
# It is for the national parliament to decide on the use of second and
third local languages as the languages of government at the local
levels. District legislatures may send requests to the national
parliament through the district chairperson. Nepali shall be the
language of government throughout the country at all levels of
government.

Mar 31, 12:58 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:58:53 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:58 pm
Subject: Re: हिन्दीलाई राष्ट् रि्य भाषा बनाउनुपर्ने फोरमको प्रस्ताव

The two big contentious issues for the new constitution are going to
be:

(1) The map and modalities of federalism.
(2) Languages.

I am glad we are having robust discussions on both at this think tank.

Madhesh Think Tank: Ek Terai, Jhijhiya, Open Border

2009-04-05T17:16:00.003-04:00

Image by apurdam (Andrew) via Flickr

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank (private)

Ek Terai, Ek Rajya

Apr 4, 1:57 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 10:57:48 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 1:57 pm
Subject: Ek Terai, Ek Rajya

I propose this as our new slogan. Not Ek Madhesh, Ek Pradesh. Let's
retire that slogan.

Jhijhiya In Norway

Apr 4, 1:37 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 10:37:37 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 1:37 pm
Subject: Jhijhiya Dance In Norway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erua8awzRIU

Thank you Hari Kishor Shah (Gonarpura, Mahottari) and friends.

Apr 4, 1:44 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 10:44:12 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 1:44 pm
Subject: Re: Jhijhiya Dance In Norway

Hari. I recommend you launch an Association of Madhesis in Europe
(AME), Norway Chapter.

Apr 4, 1:49 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 10:49:01 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 1:49 pm
Subject: Re: Jhijhiya Dance In Norway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8uoFJRyGss
Hari's two daughers. Madhesi pride in Norway.

Open Border Is The Madhesi Lifestyle

Apr 3, 11:54 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 20:54:32 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Fri, Apr 3 2009 11:54 pm
Subject: Open Border Is The Madhesi Lifestyle

http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2009/apr/apr04/news02.php
'Passport system at Nepal-India border essential to protect national
interest' ...... Committee chairman and leader of the Unified CPN
(Maoist) Amik Sherchan

http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=5148
Nepal’s CA committee favors passport regime with India ....... “Public
opinion is also that Nepal’s border with China and India should be
properly fenced”.

How can these Pahadi politicians act so obliviuos of what the open
border means to the Madhesis? The open border is the lifestyle down
South. A passport can not even be imagined. These people have not even
issues citizenship papers to all Madhesis, how long will it take them
to issue passports? Can you imagine?

This foolhardy attempt has to be opposed.

While Europe has worked to get rid of the passport among many
countries, Amik Sherchan wants to go the other way! The next thing you
know they will say the Cold War never ended, and it was high time for
one party communist rule.

These guys belong to some bygone era.

China and India are not the same to Nepal. India is much closer.

Taking This Think Tank To The Next Level

Apr 3, 4:12 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 13:12:45 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Fri, Apr 3 2009 4:12 pm
Subject: Taking This Think Tank To The Next Level

For now my two ideas of (1) making the archives of this think tank
public, and (b) electing a Board for this think tank are out the
window. I chose to respect the majority opinion here against my two
ideas with enthusiasm.

But as a result now we have two online forums we did not have before:
http://groups.google.com/group/madhesi (the largest online gathering
of Madhesis)
http://groups.google.com/group/nepal1 (the Nepali elite of the
democracy movement)

And of course the largest Nepali mailing list in the world by yours
truly.
http://groups.google.com/group/DFN-Blog

I had to publicly write to Google on Twitter to get it back.
Prejudiced Pahadis had flagged it and reported as abuse.

All this only adds to the fact that we need to constantly be thinking
in terms of taking this think tank to the next level. Okay, so we will
keep the archives private, and we will stay libertarian as a group in
terms of how we operate. But how can we improve?

Here are some of my ideas.

(1) Keep growing organically. Keep talking. These two fundamentals
have to be maintained.
(2) But we have to draw in more quality people, especially from Nepal,
and we have to improve the quality of our conversations. We need a
particularly vibrant ongoing year long debate on the next
constitution. We have to constantly discuss strategies to make Ek
Terai, Ek Pradesh possible.
(3) Since all the top Madhesi diaspora leaders are here, we can also
use this think tank to brainstorm on ways to enhance the
organizational vibrancy of all the Madhesi diaspora organizations. And
we have to bring in not just the top leaders but all the executive
committee members of all the diaspora Madhesi organizations. Do we
have people here from China?
(4) Everybody who is a central committee member with any Madhesi
political party in Nepal with an email address should be brought in
here. When they don't respond to the invitation over email, someone
please pick up the phone and call them, and then resend the email
invite.
(5) Let's get all the top Madhesi names in media and the NGO sector.
(6) If the existing 82 members were to help the cause of organic
growth, we are in good shape. Because we have as members people who
personally know everyone we need to draw in.

We have a managed to create a great online community here. I am glad.

And, yes, I think all existing members should take a minute to fill
out their profiles here at this group. We should help each other know
each other as well as possible. Upload a photo, write a few lines
about yourself. I think the messages by people become more powerful
and more interesting when you know them better as individuals. I feel
privileged that I have personally met in person almost all the active
members at this forum.

Apr 2, 10:16 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 19:16:22 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Apr 2 2009 10:16 pm
Subject: Re: Utilization of the departments we head

एक तो हम लोग मधेसी नेताको भोट नही देते थे। अभी थोडा बहुत देने लगे हैं।
लेकिन अभी भी तराईसे मधेसी पार्टीसे अागे पहाडी पार्टीया ही है। तीनो
मधेसी पार्टी मिलाके होना चाहिए कमसेकम २०० सीट लेकिन मुश्किलसे ९० सीट
है। याने के तराईमें अभी भी अाधासे कम सीट मधेसी पार्टीयोके पास है,
ज्यादा पहाडी पार्टीयोके पास है। लेकिन तराईके लिए जो होना चाहिए वो नही
हो रहा है कह के हम लोग मधेसी नेताअो पर ज्यादा गरम होते हैं।

लोकतन्त्रमें होता है, जिसको भोट दे के जिताअो उस पर प्रेसर बनाए रखो कि
काम हो रहा है कि नहीं। मैं उसके पक्षमें हुं। लेकिन हम लोग ये भी माने
कि मधेसी नेताअोका सत्तामें जाना मधेसी अान्दोलनका लक्ष्य है। अभी तो
िसर्फ विदेश मन्त्री मिला है, मै तो चाहुंगा कल किसी मधेसी को
प्रधानमन्त्री पद मिले।

इसिलिए हम लोग सोचसमझके मधेसी नेताअोका अालोचना करें।

Apr 3, 3:47 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 12:47:38 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Fri, Apr 3 2009 3:47 pm
Subject: Re: Utilization of the departments we head

Subhashji.

I don't think we should blindly support the Madhesi leaders and
parties. We should be critical, and guiding, but we should also praise
when praise is due. And I think the scope of this online think tank is
hugely limited. I doubt there are many (or any) leaders in Nepal who
take the discussions at this think tank as their primary (or even
peripheral) guiding light. The forces they primarily respond to are
immediate and in their face right there in Nepal, the media, the
masses, the corridors of power. I think the primary beneficiaries of
this think tank are its participants, people like you and me, people
who are far from home but who do need to keep their Madhesi identities
alive and rejuvenated. And so we gush and talk and froth. But keep
talking we should in hopes we might get listened to once in a while.
And keeping the Madhesi diaspora leaders connected is no small
achievement.

Paramendra
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com

Apr 3, 3:40 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 12:40:28 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Fri, Apr 3 2009 3:40 pm
Subject: Re: Happy Rama-navami "The appearance day of Lord Ramacandra." to you all.

Jay Mandal, my friend, I have missed you at this forum.

Apr 3, 3:55 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 12:55:36 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Fri, Apr 3 2009 3:55 pm
Subject: Re: Happy Rama-navami "The appearance day of Lord Ramacandra." to you all.

http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2009/apr/apr03/news07.php
Chaite Dashain, Ram Nawami being celebrated

"The festival is celebrated with much pomp and fanfare at Janaki
temple in Janakpur city in southern Nepal."

Madhesh Think Tank: Mayawati, Laloo, Manmohan, Gmail

2009-04-05T17:00:00.003-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

Madhesh Think Tank: Gayatri Shah, Ek Terai

2009-04-05T16:26:00.003-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank (private)

New Member: Gayatri Shah, member of CA

Apr 2, 9:22 pm From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 18:22:21 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Apr 2 2009 9:22 pm

This is really exciting. To get a CA Member to join this think tank.
Can we get more people like her? As in, more people from Nepal? And
not just politicians.

Discussion subject changed to "The Best Message I Ever Read At This Think Tank" by paramendra

Apr 4, 1:13 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 10:13:19 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 1:13 pm
Subject: The Best Message I Ever Read At This Think Tank

This is the best message I ever read at this think tank.

Paramendra Bhagat
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com

"Dear Subhash Jee, Navin Jee, Bijay Jee, Binod Jee, Parmendra Jee,
Balkrishna Jee and all team

Greetings from BICC/Singhadurbar. Many thanks to Subhash Jee for
inviting me onboard and gratitude to all for accepting me here. I am
pleased to find intellectuals from over the globe at one place, along
with recognized politicians from Nepal. I am sure this tank would
play a crucial role if managed effectively. I can see some great
discussions going on. Any considerable issues raised here for the
Madhesis would be gladly voiced in the hall of CA. Please keep up
with this great task.

Sincerely

Gayatri

Nepali Janata Dal"

Apr 4, 5:04 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 14:04:18 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 5:04 pm
Subject: Re: The Best Message I Ever Read At This Think Tank

My apologies to Gayatriji. I was not even aware of her party, the
Nepali Janata Dal.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/unification-of-madhesi-parties.html

It has twice as many MPs, and it has more votes than the Dalit
Janajati Party which I did mention in my blog post.

At almost 50,000 votes in the proportional election, the NJD has a
good standing, I must say. That is almost a third of the votes earned
by Rajendra Mahato's Sadbhavana. I am impressed.

And her professing to be active at this think tank we all have to be
thankful for. That is when the tire meets the road, when this think
tank has access to the ongoings in Nepal's constituent assembly.
Gayatriji's participation here makes me more likely to write at this
forum in Hindi.

She is a woman, and she represents one of what Laloo might call
backward castes. I think the whole package deal is quite impressive.

For now we get to focus on the Ek Terai, Ek Rajya agenda, and on
inclusion for the DaMaJaMa. But I don't see how can hope for national
leadership unless these six parties come together and become one: MJF,
TMLP, SP, NSP, NJD, and DJP. As in Nepali Janata Dal, and the Dalit
Janajati Party. At that point we will finally be competing with the
three Pahadi parties. Right now we have a scenario where the MJF and
the TMLP compete with each other rather than with the Pahadi parties.

Apr 5, 4:23 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 13:23:01 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Apr 5 2009 4:23 pm
Subject: Re: The Best Message I Ever Read At This Think Tank

That is a plus, not a minus, in my view.
(1) Unify all Madhesi parties.
(2) Seek unification with Dalit and Janajati groups, and groups like
the Nepali Janata Dal.
(3) Expand into all 75 districts.
(4) Shoot for national leadership.

Paramendra Bhagat
President, Hamro Nepal
http://hamnep.googlepages.com

On Apr 5, 1:43 am, Balkrishna wrote:
I doubt if the NJD will be interested to work only on madheshi cause
(and hence form coalition with other madhes based parties). The NJD has
different objective. It considers itself to be more national party than the
regional sounding party...

Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh

Mar 30, 5:16 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:16:02 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 30 2009 5:16 pm
Subject: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

(1) Stop saying Ek Madhesh, Ek Pradesh. Start saying Ek Terai, Ek
Pradesh. 40% of the people in the Terai are not Madhesi. The future
Terai state has to feel like home also to them.
(2) Shoot for a four state federalism: Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali,
Terai.
(3) Talk of retaining the 75 districts.
(4) Unite all non-Maoist parties behind the slogan of geographic
federalism as opposed to the proposed ethnic federalism of the
Maoists. To the point of forming a new government sans the Maoists if
we have to to achieve geographic, four state federalism and Ek Terai,
Ek Pradesh.
(5) Engage the leading Tharu, Muslim and Terai Dalit groups in
respectful dialogue. Happily agree to their demand for separate
reservation for them in government jobs. Don't lump them in the
Madhesi category for reservation purposes. If you do, only Yadavs and
Jhas will benefit.
(6) Encourage the formation of a Tharu political party. Encourage them
to do well in the western Terai districts.
(7) Better yet, encourage the unification of all Madhesi, Dalit and
Tharu parties.

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com

Mar 31, 12:22 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:22:27 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:22 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

Ram Manohar: "....... you have so far proposed 3-4 types of structue
models......"
"- What is definition of "Madhes" and "Terai", and where is the
difference?
- Who qualifies to be "Madhesi", "Tharu", "Dalit", "Muslim" ? Also,
who qualifies to be "Teraian" ?"

Actually I have proposed more than 3-4 maps and modalities for
federalism in Nepal. All of them can be accessed here:
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html

That is reflective of the fact that:
(1) Federalism as a topic is bound to be the most contentious of all
for the new constitution.
(2) I feel the need to respect the democratic process, the democratic
exercise. I feel the need to respect the diversity of opinions on the
topic. I wish to speak, but I also wish to listen. And I want to make
people feel like I have listened.

Terai is the geographical Terai. Madhesh is more a cultural term.
Bahuns living in the Terai are Teraiwasi, but not Madhesi.

Tharu, Terai Dalit, Muslims are all Madhesi, but they have their
unique identities within that pan Madhesi identity.

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com

Mar 31, 12:32 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:32:47 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:32 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

To ask if the Tharu are Madhesi is like asking if the women are
Madhesi or women? They are both. Similarly the Tharu are both Janajati
and Madhesi. Women are both women and Madhesi. The Dalit are both
Dalit and Madhesi.

So reservation in government jobs has to move beyond the broad
category of Madhesi. There should be smaller categories so the
constituent groups of the pan Madhesi identity are happy.

On the other hand, if there are reservations for women, Dalit, and
Janajati, the women, Dalit, and Janajati of the Terai will be
marginalized there. There the Madhesi aspect of their identities has
to be emphasized.

Look at some of the demands of the Tharu movement, which has to be put
in the same category as the Madhesi movement.

(1) Do not lump us in the Madhesi category for job reservations.
(2) Call it Terai not Madhesh.

I agree with both those demands. Don't you?

I say happily agree to both those demands and seek their support for
Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh. And then seek the support of the UML and the NC
for a four state federalism, Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali, Terai, and
retaining the 75 districts.

We have to engage in coalition building if we are to make progress.
Mere sloganeering will not do the trick.

Mar 31, 12:44 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:44:32 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:44 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

(1) Male Female. Roughly half the country is male, the other half
female.
(2) Pahadi Madhesi. Roughly half the country is Pahadi, other half
Madhesi. Here hill Janajatis are Pahadi.
(3) Janajati, non Janajati. Again it is roughly half, half. Here, the
Tharu are Janajati.
(4) Dalit, not Dalit. The Dalit are about 20% of the country's
population. That includes the Terai and Hill Dalits. This is the most
marginalized of all groups in Nepal. Who can deny? Of course they must
have a separate quota for job reservations. Not only that, the quota
has to specifically say Terai Dalit and Hill Dalit, otherwise all the
Bishwakarmas will benefit, and the Dusads and Mushars will get
shortchanged.

We have to respect these overlaps in identity.

PS. I am still trying to figure out how the current constituent
assembly achieved its proportional representation goal. I think it is
fair to say the political parties need to make their lists for the
indirect elections public before the elections.

Mar 31, 12:49 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:49:58 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:49 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/03/baburam-bhattarai-proposed-constitution.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/02/national-coalition-against-racial.html

I wish to study these three, and then propose my newest draft Proposed
Constitution. What do you all think about these three drafts if you
have had a chance to study them?

Mar 31, 12:53 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:53:01 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:53 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

We Madhesis who complain of prejudice, discrimination and
marginalization necessarily have to be empathetic to others who
complain of the same, namely Tharu, Muslim, Dalit, women, or we are
hypocrites.

Apr 4, 2:51 am
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 23:51:10 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 2:51 am
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

Nepalis in NYC are still Nepali. Bahuns are still Bahun in NYC. They
stay Bahun in the Terai.

Madhesis in Kathmandu are still Madhesi. Madhesi is a cultural term.
Nepalis in Assam are still Nepali, when Nepali is a cultural term.

One person can have more than one identity. It is not clear cut at all
as to who is who. The Tharu are both Madhesi and Janajati.

Apr 4, 2:56 am
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 23:56:51 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 2:56 am
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

Ram Manoharji.

The real issue is this.

Of course the Tharu are Madhesi, but that does not mean it is okay to
create a state that is all of the Terai and call it Madhesh. Better to
call it the Terai state.

Of course the Tharu are Madhesi but that does not mean it is okay to
have one reservation quota for all Madhesis, because if you do, all
the Yadavs and Jhas will move ahead in the name of Tharus as well. So
a separate reservation quota for Tharus is a must.

Of course the Tharu are Madhesi, but they also are Janajati. Like the
Madhesi women are also women. And on some issues they are closer to
the Pahadi women than to the Madhesi men.

Apr 4, 1:21 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 10:21:50 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 1:21 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

Tharu is Madhesi. Tharu is also Janajati. Not all Madhesis go back 10
or more generations in Nepal, almost all Tharus do.

A Madhesi living in Kathmandu is also a Kathmanduwasi. Or a
Kathmanduite, as they might say in English. I am a Madhesi, but I am
also a New Yorker. Yo.

There is the cultural term. I am a Madhesi no matter where I go. There
is the geographic term. If you live in Janakpur, you are a
Janakpurwasi. And then there is the socio-economic, marginalization
issue. The Tharus really lag behind, and they need special attention,
the way a Sah from Jaleshwar might not.

If a Bahun has lived in the Terai two generations and has no property
anywhere in the Pahad, that Bahun is a Teraiwasi. He/she has no other
home.

We do want the Terai to be the most diverse part of Nepal,
economically the most vibrant, the most industrialized, ahead in IT
and banking, and other service sectors. For all that we need cultural
diversity. Instead of the Pahadis going to India and Malaysia, let
them come to the Terai for jobs. That is not the situation now, but we
have to make that to be the situation.

Apr 4, 1:32 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 10:32:50 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 1:32 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

"..........the identity theft issue of this community. ............."

LOL. Until now the term "identity theft" meant something very
different to me.

:-)

I guess we are struggling to define the term Madhesi.

There are Bahuns who claim they are also Madhesi because they live in
the Terai. To them I say, you are Teraiwasi if you live in the Terai,
you are not Madhesi. You might live in Japan, but you don't become
Japanese.

There are Tharus who say they are not Madhesi. We have to be
respectful of them. I am very open to the possibility that that the
Tharus might decide they are Tharu, and that is all they are. As in,
they are Nepali citizens and their cultural identity is that they are
Tharu.

To that I would say, the Yadavs also have their own identity. But
their larger cultural identity is that they are Madhesi. Similarly the
repression so far of the Tharus has been carried out by the Khas
ruling class, and to those Khas ruling class people the Tharu have
been Madhesi.

But if you insist you are only Tharu and not Madhesi, that is fine
too. Let's still agree on the Ek Terai, Ek Rajya, and separation
reservation quota for Tharus in government jobs.

The Tharus wanting separate reservation quotas, though, is not them
saying they are not Madhesi. It is them saying unless we have separate
quotas, all our slot sill get eaten up by the Yadavs and Jhas. The
Muslims and the Dalits of the Terai have similar fears.

So I am opposed to having a single Madhesi quota for job reservations.
Make separate quotas for Tharus, Muslims, Dalits, women. But don't
have just one broad category for Dalits and women, because if you do,
all the Pahadi Dalits and women will eat up the cake.

Apr 4, 3:14 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 12:14:12 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 3:14 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

My starting point is, what do the Tharus want? Are they objecting to
being called Madhesi? How do you understand the recent Tharu movement
which was of the same quality as the Madhesi Kranti?

So if you so insist that the Tharu are Madhesi, are you opposed to the
idea that they should have a separate reservation quota for government
jobs? Do you want to spell out your position a little more clearly?

And if that is your position then the Tharu movement and I disagree
with you.

That is issue one, reservation quotas.

Two, the shape and form of federalism. There I am for Ek Terai, Ek
Rajya. For that the Tharu do not have to be classified as Madhesi and
we can still have Ek Terai, Ek Rajya.

Then there is the identity issue. There I want the Tharus and the
Bahuns and the rest to themselves decide. I don't wish to decide for
them. That identity part is an open debate subject to ongoing
discussions. My starting point would be to engage the Tharu leadership
in respectful dialogue, something we have not done so far. Maybe the
dialogue will conclude by saying that the Tharu indeed are Madhesi but
they still want a separate reservation quota, a position I hope for.
What about you?

Apr 4, 3:16 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 12:16:36 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 3:16 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

Ram Manohar: "In your own sentence your have two contradicting lines,
"You might live in Japan, but you don't become Japanese.
....................A Madhesi living in Kathmandu is also a
Kathmanduwasi.""

There is no contradiction. I am a Madhesi, I am a New Yorker, but I am
not Jewish. You don't become Japanese by living in Japan because
Japanese is a cultural identity term. But you become a Kathmanduite by
living in Kathmandu because Kathmanduite is a geographic term.

Apr 4, 3:18 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 12:18:17 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 3:18 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

And while talking about cultural identities, it is very important that
we make room for inter-caste, cross-cultural, and inter-racial
relationships and marriages, not to say inter-continental.

Apr 5, 1:33 am
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 22:33:39 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Apr 5 2009 1:33 am
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

For all the hate mail I received during the Madhesi Kranti, for you to
suggest I share the worldview of the Pahadis!

"'Madhesi' word is itself foul word."

The word Madhesi is like the word Negro. The word madisey/marsya is
like the word nigger. In my opinion. Nigger is hate speech, Negro is
what MLK called the black people.

"Tharu itself is not clear where they are."

At a time when we are trying to reinvent the larger Nepali identity
itself, it is not surprising the Madhesi identity itself is in flux.
So, yes, of course, the Tharus are going through a major identity
fermentation. So are we.

"If proximity of language / culture or lifestyle / History is what
define one identities..."

I don't start with history, you do. I start with the individual and
the group and what they are saying today. I have no desire to go argue
with the Tharus, you might not know it, but you are Madhesi, let me
tell you. I think that would be patronizing.

A Tharu asked me during the Q&A session of the New School event during
the Madhesi Kranti what he was, was he a Madhesi? I said to him that
was for him to decide.

"..... then you will have to think twice before justifying Tharus are
so different from rest of the people in south ...."

That is like saying if you claim the Mahottari district exists, then
you are saying Nepal does not exist.

A Yadav is both a Yadav and a Madhesi. A Tharu is a Tharu and a
Madhesi and a Janajati. That is my opinion. Socio-economically they
lag far behind the mainstream Madhesis of the eastern Terai. That is
also true of Muslims, and especially true of the Terai Dalits.

A Tharu is a Tharu and a Madhesi and a Janajati. The Tharu holds our
key to being able to build a national Madhesi-Janajati coalition, like
Laloo's MY coalition.

"That's why I requested you to please comeup with dimensions, which
will qualify Tharu for preferential status.
- Tharu's needs has to be understood and fulfilled on preferential
basis, and hardly anyone is questioning/denying."

You contradict yourself here.

"......and please stop putting Tharu infront to escape questions on
paharias. when I am questioning you, your stand on Paharias in
southern side...."

People of hill origin are 40% the Terai's population, thanks to
decades of Mahendra Path. They are going to be 40% of the future Terai
state, should we be lucky enough to have a single Terai state. I want
all the Madhesi parties to become one, and I would want that unified
party to compete for those Pahadi votes in the Terai.

First you accuse me of sharing the worldview of the Pahadis in the
Pahad - my Pahadi detractors would love to hear that characterization
- and now you are suggesting I am siding with the Pahadis in the
Terai. That is such a baseless thing to suggest. I believe in
equality. So I speak for the DaMaJaMa. But even the Bahuns deserve
equality of law. I take that for granted that we will all feel that
way.

Apr 5, 2:34 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 11:34:13 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Apr 5 2009 2:34 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

"when it comes to collectivly understanding southern people, you start
looking from northen people side."

Since you have said this more than once, do you mind being a little
more specific? What is the Pahadi's understanding? What is mine? I
have angered numerous Pahadis when talking about Madhesi rights.

"I was surprised in school days to know "I am madhesi". One of the
reason of surprise is, my relatives on other side of border, still
might be unaware about the definition of "madhesi", and they never
were/are addressed "Madhesi"."

Looks like it is not just the Tharus, you also are confused about the
term Madhesi. You, of course, are Madhesi. Do you doubt that? If not,
what are you? Maithil? Maithil is a subset of Madhesi in Nepal.

"Kamaiya/Kamlari was promoted among Tharu. Tharu land was snatched."

We have to engage the Tharu to make this point. They have been
exploited by the Pahadi rulers, not by the Madhesis.

Maybe the Tharus were not exploited by the Madhesis, but they do lag
far behind the mainstream Madhesis socio-economically, and that is why
they deserve a separate reservation quota.

In a democratic country, people are free to move around. So of course
it is okay that more Pahadis might migrate to the Terai in the future.
I might disagree with the Mahendra Path, but I also now wish to face
the reality that the Terai is a very diverse place culturally. Every
ethnic group in Nepal is reflected in the Terai. I personally like
that a whole lot.

Apr 5, 4:13 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 13:13:44 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Apr 5 2009 4:13 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?

One Tharuhat-One Province a must, to preserve unique Tharu identity
Narendra Kumar Chaudhary
Central Committee Member, Rastriya Prajatantra Party
Mr. Chaudhary until recently was the chairman of the Tharu Welfare
Committee.
Telegraphnepal.com - ‎Apr 1, 2009‎
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=5133
The Tharus are the real inhabitants of Tarai. It is learnt that this
community has been in this Gangetic plane since two thousand
years. .... Ashoka-the great ... Today, it has been almost proved that
he was a Tharu and belonged to our community-the community of the
Tharus. ...... Recently, at time of the fresh Madhesi agitation
carried out by the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, the Tharus have had not
participated in their agitation. ...... The government is thinking to
put proper word in the constitution to assure the Tharus that they
were neither the Madhesis nor belonged to Madhesh. ...... If it is one
Tharuhat-One province as the agitation demand has shown, it is right
from Jhapa to Kailali Kanchanpur. The entire Tharus in this belt from
east to west are one and a single identity. The Tharus, including me,
will have no objection if One Tharuhat-One Province State comes into
existence.

Govt-Tharu representatives sign six point pact; Tharu agitation ...
Nepalnews.com
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2009/mar/mar15/news01.php
replace the term ‘Madhesh’ by ‘Terai-Madhesh’ in the interim
constitution ....... The ordinance on reservation will also be amended
to guarantee a proportional representation of all ethnic communities
in public bodies. ...... A general strike called by the Muslim
community has also been called off. ...... Chairman of Tharuhat
Struggle Committee Laxman Tharu, General Secretary of Tharu
Kalyankarini Sabha Raj Kumar Lekhi, Babu Ram Chaudhary from Nepal
Loktantrik Tharu Sangh, Indrajeet Chaudhary from Tharu Rastriya Mukti
Morcha and chairman Janajati Mahasangh Pasang Sherpa

Govt-Muslims talks positive
E Kantipur - ‎Mar 15, 2009
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=184812
Enraged by the government’s decision to enlist Muslims under the
Madhesi category, the religious minority had joined the Tharu
agitation forwarding demands for amendment to the ordinance on
reservation, a fresh population census of their community,
proportional representation based on actual population and a separate
identity through amendment of the Interim Constitution.

Madhesh as such doesn’t exist in Nepal
Raj Kumar Lekhi, General Secretary
Tharu Welfare Society, Nepal
Telegraphnepal.com - ‎Mar 24, 2009‎
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=5084
Be it known to all that neither we are the followers of Madhesh nor we
are Madhesis. We are at best entirely different from others and are
Tharus. ...... Indeed there are Madhesis in Nepal. Even in Kathmandu
you can notice the presence of Madhesis. Like wise they are also in
Pokhara and in Tarai as well. .... We just wanted to establish the
unique and the distinct identities of the Tharus, Muslim and other
indigenous people. ...... We are not against any particular caste or
for that mater a community. Our fight is just to guarantee the rights
of the Tharu community which has been denied by the State so far.

Reservations about reservation - Nepali Times
Mar 13, 2009
http://www.nepalitimes.com.np/issue/2009/03/13/ConstitutionSupplement/15753
The government has introduced guaranteed seats for women, Janajatis,
Madhesi, Dalits, the disabled and least developed regions for civil
servants working in security, education, public service and other
sectors. ...... In Nepal, there are 100 ethnic, 92 linguistic groups
and nine religions. ...... there are sub-groups within groups (women,
Janajatis, Madhesi, Dalits, the disabled and underprivileged
regions). ..... within the Madhesi community there are Muslims, Dalits
and Janajatis...... There are six Pahadi Dalits, 14 Madhesi Dalits and
five Newar Dalits. There are 59 groups in the government
classification of indigenous nationalities. ....... Chief minister of
Uttar Pradesh Mayawati is a Dalit and has been elected four times, but
the condition of Dalits in her state has not improved. ........ Of
Nepal's population, 37.8 per cent are Janajatis, but 33.39 per cent of
CA members are Janajati. On the other hand, Madhesis make up 31.2 per
cent of the population but have 34.9 per cent representation in the
CA. Dalits make up 13 per cent of the population but have only 8.17
per cent representation. Similarly, 51 per cent of Nepalis are women,
but they have only 33.22 per cent representation in the CA.

Nepal takes rocky road to reservation
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/nepal-takes-rocky-road-to-reservation_100148585.html
“We are seeking 25 percent representation in all state organs,” said
Thakur Chandra Gahat Raj, general secretary of the Dalit Janjati Party
(DJP) that is the only Dalit party in Nepal’s 601-member constituent
assembly. ...... According to Gahat Raj, Dalits form 25 percent of
Nepal’s nearly 29 million population though the number has been
“considerably downplayed by the national census”. ........
“Prachandapath (the adaptation of Maoist philosophy by Prachanda to
suit Nepal) is nothing but Brahmanpath, meant only for the elite
caste,” the Dalit leader said. “The quota figure is a blow to Dalits’
movement for proportional representation in all state organs,
including the army, bureaucracy and judiciary.”

Govt justifies its statement on Madhesi list « Nepal, Nepalnews ...
http://www.nepalmountainnews.com/news/print.php/2009/03/04/govt-justifies-its-statement-on-madhesi-list.phtml
Tharus and 20 other ethnic groups, with support from National
Federation of the Indigenous Nationalities, started protests after
government reportedly included them under Madhesi list while securing
reservation quota for various ethnic groups. ........ The agitating
Tharus have called for indefinite shut down of all 22 Terai districts
since Monday.

The new Madhesi woman - Nepali Times
http://www.nepalitimes.com.np/issue/2008/05/23/PlainSpeaking/14809
the 13 women who have made it to the constituent assembly from the
MJF ....... When quotas were allotted for women in PR, Nepali male
politicians hated the idea of sharing the slice of power. A senior
Madhesi politician confided, "We have got a 33 percent reservation for
Madhesis but will have to give half to women. They don't know
anything. What a waste." ....... The group was diverse in terms of
caste - Karina Begum, Durgadevi Mahato, Rambha Devi, Savita Yadav, and
the most vocal of them all, Kalavati Paswan, a middle-aged Madhesi
Dalit woman. Many of them had been beaten up during the Madhes
movement. They spoke about the discrimination against the Madhes, the
oppression of women, the cry for education, the challenges of being a
woman activist ....... social revolution that fights caste
discrimination, builds inter-community relations, focuses on rural
upliftment, and, of course, allows women across castes to break more
barriers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnjktr76vXo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syg38ko6ui4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzq3W4nLGjs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhYoi78TwAY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCUYXo-Rmes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxZjdlvWq2Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rlCmaTx2GA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P94BWt9RBk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d20yfuA7-I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpHacRSNL6o
______________________________________________________________________________________________

Some of my observations.

(1) The Tharus are not opposed to creating a single state out of all
22 Terai districts. Their stand is that such a state can not be named
Madhesh. They want to call it Tharuhat. Perhaps we can seek middle
ground and call it Terai.

(2) Many Tharus don't wish to have anything to do with the Madhesi
identity. The same is true of some Muslims, and many Dalits. I can see
where they are coming from. Just like as a Madhesi so far I have never
felt included in the larger Nepali identity for lack of respect and
equality for Madhesis in that identity, I can see why Dalits don't
feel okay inside the pan Madhesi identity. Just like in the Pahad, the
anti-Dalit prejudice among the Madhesis is rampant.

(3) 15% Dalit (including Terai Dalits), 33% Madhesi, 37% Janajati
(including Tharus), 15% Khas. Is this what the composition looks like?
I am curious to know.

2009-04-01T01:11:00.012-04:00

An Opaque Madhesh Think Tank

2009-02-24T12:30:00.004-05:00

If the Madhesi Think Tank is not going to make its archives public, it is of little personal interest to me. Mohi magne dhungro lukaune?

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank

(1)

ICG: Nepal's Faltering Peace Process
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/02/icg-nepals-faltering-peace-process.html

(2)

Dr. Binod has brought forth a valid point. He disagrees with my
suggestion that the archives of this google group must be public. I
think this small issue gives us an opportunity to hold a civil, open,
transparent debate on the question. People should fully express their
opinions.

I am glad we finally have a Global Madhesi Organization in Ram Shah's
leadership. But it is for the 67 members of this group to discuss and
decide, if necessary by vote, as to whether or not we should make the
archives public.

Here is my rationale.

(1) This is not a private club, this is not a family group. This is
the online watering hole for the leading Madhesis from all over the
world. By definition this group and its discussions belong to the 12
million Madhesis on the planet. These message threads are not private
emails. We can not take this group to the 12 million, but we should
take it to as many as possible, especially when it is so easy to do,
and free.

(2) I am opposed to Madhesis talking Madhesi rights with Madhesis but
expressing internalized prejudice and mental slavery and subservience
when among Pahadis. What are you afraid of?

(3) Making the archives public will get us more Madhesi readers, and
we will also get more requests from Madhesis who wish to join the
group and contribute to the discussions. We do want the widest
possible readership.

(4) I also want interested Pahadis to read these discussions. Let them
get informed of our raw feelings and opinions. Let's enlighten them as
to our issues.

(5) Just like there are very few Madhesis in the Nepal Army, in the
Nepal Police, in the state bureaucracy in Nepal, there are very few
Madhesis in the Nepali diaspora, and for the same reasons. This
particular google group so far has emerged as the best gathering place
for those few. A wider readership will enhance the quality of
discussions here.

(6) Too much is at stake as work gets done on the constitution. We
stand next to a loud, vocal, prejudiced Pahadi majority in the
diaspora. We have to fight back with words and ideas. This google
group could play a key role in securing the One Terai, One Pradesh.

(7) Let's go mass based.

(3)

Access: Only members can view group content

I just found out that this tank has gone opaque again. Why?

If there are members of this think tank that are opposed to keeping
the content of the discussions here public, they should participate in
a discussion on the topic and convince the rest of us as to their
rationale. This super elitism if offensive. 50 leading Madhesis in the
world get together online but wish to discuss things in a way that
denies access to other Madhesis who might manage to come online. That
is beyond weird.

The decision making process is flawed. Lobbying through private phone
calls! People should have open discussions.

(4)

(1)

Because this think tank's archives are now in public, I have linked to
it from my Nepal blog. See top right:
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com Now this think tank performs the
same function for my Nepal blog that Twitter does for my Tech N Biz
blog: http://technbiz.blogspot.com

(2)

Amit Shah: ".....included the word Women, Adibashi/Janjati but
intentionally excluded the word *MADHESHI* ignoring the fact of
madheshi movement and condition in Nepal as well as in abroad."

This is an important observation. If there had been no anti-Madhesi
prejudice in Nepal there would have been 10,000 Madhesis in New York
today. The first 10,000 Pahadis I am going to meet in NYC, I am going
to think they took seats that belonged to Madhesis. Since the Nepali
diaspora is mostly a Pahadi diaspora, we can expect a major sentiment
against the sound One Terai, One Pradesh idea. We have to counter
that. This think tank could play a key role.

(3)

Tara. I learned a few weeks back that he is now NAC president.
Congrats. This looks good on NYC Nepalis. One third of the Nepalis in
the US are in NYC. Good to see the leadership has finally shifted to
the city. Now I learn he is also chair of the NRNA-NCC America. I am
learning for the first time that such a coordination council has
finally materialized in the US as well. That is great news. It is
possible at some time some Nepali in the US will lead the global NRN
movement, but for that to happen it had been important for the Nepalis
in America to get integrated with the global NRN first. For the
longest time, the NRN organization faced resistance in America because
a Madhesi was at the top.

I have tussled with Tara at times in the past on three issues - (a)
the need for an umbrella organization for the 30 plus Nepali
organizations in New York Metro, or alternately getting them all to
become members of NAC itself, (b) democracy, (c) transparency - that
some have tried to portray as some kind of a personality clash,
because there is more drama in that suggestion.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/08/democracy-transparency-and-nepali.html

I still would like to emphasize the importance of democracy and
transparency for the Nepalis to earn their due political rights in NYC
and at the national level. This is about immigrant rights. Too much of
the Nepali diaspora bonding is tied to the happenings in Nepal and too
little to the rights of the Nepalis in their host countries.

What I am getting at is Nepalis should have the right to vote in New
York city elections based on residency, because you pay utility bills.
The Irish had that in Boston 150 years ago. You don't have to be a
citizen, you don't have to have a green card.

In terms of basic rights in host countries, it is much worse for the
Nepalis in the gulf states, in Malaysia, other places.

When you emphasize democracy and transparency, you also make it
possible for the diaspora organizations to go mass based. Right now
there is too much living room talk, cliquish, self-defeating.

(4)

A few weeks back Jay Mandal forwarded me this email about the
constitution. I told him I had a direct channel with Madhav Nepal on
the constitution work. That is the beauty of having a global digital
democracy organization: http://hamnep.googlepages.com and having been the only full timer in the diaspora behind the three revolutions in
Nepal: April 2006, January-February 2007, February 2008.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com

I have been one of the earliest to start work on a constitution. What
I have proposed would be the shortest, most progressive constitution
of any country.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html

(5)

https://twitter.com/paramendra/status/1235248689

(6)

https://twitter.com/paramendra/status/1227962213 Steve Case AOL Founder
https://twitter.com/paramendra/status/1227950181 Padmasree CTO of Cisco
Joe Trippi, Dean 2004 Campaign Manager
http://twitter.com/JoeTrippi/statuses/1221127774
http://twitter.com/paramendra/statuses/1221187540
Huffington Post, top political blog in America
http://twitter.com/huffpost/statuses/1221127779

(7)

I am not opposed to being liberal about who to let join the group and
who not to. I think anyone so far has had the option to come to the
MTT site and make a request with the administrator saying they wish to
join. They can write a paragraph introducing themselves and making a
case as to why they need to be allowed in. That arrangement has always
been in place.

But not everyone wants to write and discuss. Most people seem to
prefer to just read. Or there would be a ton of comments at my blog.

(8)

Access http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank/about
Only members can view group content
Only members can view group members list
People can request an invitation to join
Members can create and edit pages
Members can upload files
Only members can post

I can see why only select members may join this think tank, otherwise
things would go out of hand, and the quality of the conversation would
go downhill. But it makes no sense to not allow anyone and everyone to
view the archives. There are many people who might not qualify to join
this think tank, but who should have every right to follow the
discussions here. Our current arrangement is undemocratic and opaque.
It is too cliquish. "Only members can view group content." I request
the group administrator Bijay Raut to please make the archives public.
Thanks.

(9)

(1) Leaders like Yadav-Tripathy-Mahato should learn to address Pahadi
crowds in Nepali because it is time for the three (plus) Madhesi
parties to get unified and expand into all 75 districts.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/unification-of-madhesi-parties.html

(2) It is unrealistic to expect the East West railway line to connect
all the populous Terai towns. Further south you go from the Chure,
worse is the flood problem during the monsoon. Also, this is not a
railway line just for the Madhesi, but for all of Nepal, actually
especially for the hill districts. So the railways line should be as
close to the Chure as possible, just like the highway. Actually it
might not be a bad idea to have common bridges for both the highway
and the railway.

Provided the right (non-corrupt, transparent, speedy, bold, capable)
political leadership, this railway line could materialize fast through
BOOT. Build, Own, Operate, Transfer. You go for FDI. There is plenty
of money in the global marketplace. The same applies to the mega hydel
projects.

(3) I liked Sukhdev Shah saying he wishes to be an ambassador of all
Nepalis. That is the next goal for the Madhesi Movement: national
leadership.

(10)

I wish Subhashii had provided the web address for this piece of news.
But from the little information I have, I would like to express my
reaction to the event.

What was the event? Was this at the UML convention? Were Mahato, Yadav
and Tripathy invited guests? If this was at the UML convention, and if
the vast majority of those in the audience were people whose primary
language is Nepali, and we all know Mahato speaks fluent Nepali, it
might have been a good idea for Mahato to have addressed the crowd in
Nepali on his own.

On the other hand, more than 15 years ago Mirja Dil Sad Beg, then a
RPP MP, addressed a mass meeting in Sidhupalchok in Hindi.

The three Madhesi leaders speaking in Nepali does not take away from
the fact that Hindi is the natural link language in the Terai.

Another way to look at this is that there is a certain Pahadi
hostility to the Hindi language. That hostility needs to subside.
___________________________________________________________________________
Butwal...... followed by disgruntled crowd against Mahato for
addressing in Hindi, Upendra Yadav and Hridyesh Tripathi spoke in
Nepali. ...... the mass meeting and walked out. There is a need
for UMDF to be reactivated. .

Does anyone of us hold any data to prove scientifically which language
is the most feasible one to join the people of Madhesh speaking
maithili, bhojpuri, awadhi, tharu etc. However, it is now time to
integrate English in Madhesh.

Subhash Shah
London

Mahato act angers crowd
Feb 16 - The mass jeered when General Secretary of the Nepal
Sadhbhavana Party Rajendra Mahato started waxing eloquent in Hindi
instead of Nepali. Despite the protest, Mahato went on, saying, "I
don't think it's difficult to understand Hindi. Why are you objecting
to the use of Hindi when you are living in Madhesh?" "In new Nepal,
all groups should have representation," he went on, "New Nepal should
accept people, who speak different languages." A member of the
convention management committee, Ramnath Dhakal, tried to pacify the
crowd, in vain. It was then that Mahato gave in to the crowd's demand.
"This kind of mentality will not help build new Nepal," Mahato
concluded in Nepali.

(11)

This daily digest from the Madhesi Think Tank today has been my
favorite to date for all the congratulatory messages to Dr. Sukhdev
Shah. It is a big deal, a huge deal that the Nepali ambassadors to the
US and UK are both Madhesi for the first time ever. This is a tectonic
shift.

When I was a little kid, we used to hear of Dr. Shah as someone who
was at the World Bank/IMF in the US. Then he showed up on stage with
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in Janakpur at a Barah Bigha mass meeting
after the 1990 mass movement as someone who had helped pay for some of
BP's medical expenses. I was there at the mass meeting. He spoke mixed
Maithili-Hindi-English-Nepali. A few years later I attended his talk
program at TU in Kirtipur. I was in the back, I did not get to talk to
him one on one. He at the time said it was worse for the Madhesis in
Nepal than the blacks in America. A few years later we got to know
each other through online interactions. The first time he emailed me
the way I felt was similar to this:
http://technbiz.blogspot.com/2009/01/mitch-kapor-now-following-me-on-twitter.html
I was elated.

And he was a rare Madhesi who took affront at my mistreatment at the
storm-in-a-teacup Google Group called the ND Forum.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/02/kiran-sitoula-is-short-fat-idiot.html

Dr. Shah became qualified when it was near impossible for Madhesis to
get qualified. And if it had not been for the anti-Madhesi prejudice
he would have been ambassador to the US a long time ago. Better late
than never. But we have not arrived yet. There is much work that still
remains.

This is a symbolic achievement. But this helps us go for the big
achievements for the masses. This is a step in the right direction. We
have to celebrate this. I look forward to a felicitation program in
his honor here in New York City.

We have to keep pushing the limits. We have to keep looking for new
goals. http://madhesi.blogspot.com/2009/02/broadband-and-madhesi-liberation.html

(12)

Broadband And Madhesi Liberation
http://madhesi.blogspot.com/2009/02/broadband-and-madhesi-liberation.html

(13)

I think this Google Group is a pretty good place to start work on the
new constitution. I think Nepal should shoot for the shortest, most
progressive constitution in the world. The details come in the form of
laws and bills later on. This is what I have proposed since a long
time ago. What do you all think?

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/unification-of-madhesi-parties.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-shape-federalism.html

PS. When you send emails to this think tank, please tidy it up. Only
send your writing, not the emails of everyone else in that threat
conversation, because those are already posted before you replied.

(14)

Web 5.0 Is Da Bomb
http://technbiz.blogspot.com/2009/02/web-50-is-da-bomb.html

Broadband And Madhesi Liberation

2009-02-11T19:14:00.001-05:00

Bahut Madhesi kah rahe hain, ye to rajnitik kam kar raha tha, ab ye kahta hai businessman ban gaye. Career change kyun kiya? Career change nahin kiya, bhai. Internet access is the voting right for this 21st century. Sab log Amrika nahin aa sakte hain, lekin America mein jo educational, business opportunities hain wo sabo ko broadband ke marfat le jaya ja sakta hai. Ye sirf Madhesh, ya Nepal, ya India level ki baat nahin hai. Ye pure Third World ki baat hai, ye Global South ki baat hai. Mahatma Gandhi ne Indian independence ki baat ki, Martin Luther King ne kaha voting rights for black people. Lekin wo to half century purani baat hai. India independent ho chuka. America mein blacks ko voting rights hi kya, kala admi Obama rashtrapati hi ban gaya. Purani manjil mil jaye to nayi manjil khojni parti hai.

Ab prasn ye hai ki First World aur Third World, yane ke West aur Global South ke beech jo itni badi khai hai, us khai ko kam kaise karein? Us ka uttar hai broadband. Ek samay aisa ayega jab ki First World, Third World naam ki koi classification banki nahin rah jayegi.

Jab pahli Madhesi kranti huwee to New York mein Ashok Gurung ne New School mein karyakram kiya. Lekin jo Madhesi gan hain wo Tara Bahun ke pichhe pichhe chale gaye Long Island Satya Narayan ka pooja karne. Kaisi ajeeb baat ho gayee? Are yaar, Nepal mein log shahid ho rahe hain, aur tumhe abhi hi pooja karni thi Satya Narayan ki? Ek hota hai prejudice, ek hota hai internalized prejudice. Mental slavery jo hai wo internalized prejudice ka hi judwa bhai hai.

IC

Nepal mein Madhesi ke prati bhedbhav na hota to New York ke 30,000 Nepali mein kam se kam 10,000 Madhesi hote. Lekin muskil se 100 bhi nahin hain. To New York mein maine dekha hai Jewish log bahut hain, Tel Aviv se jyada Jewish New York mein hain. To un logo ko bhi bahut sataya gaya, 2000 sal tak sataya, Holocaust mein to adha ko jala hi diya Hitler ne, abhi bhi anti-Semitism hai. To uske response mein wo log ek dusre ke extra close ho jate hain. Usi tarah hum New York ke Madhesiyo ko chahiye extra close ho jayen. Us closeness ka early stage main anubhav kar raha hoon. Wo khushi ki baat hai.

Lekin Madhesi kranti ka nabj real time mein na padh sakne bale ab next step ko miss kar rahe hain. Next step hai Madhesi partiyon ka unification. Us ke baad ka step hai national ambition. Usi tarah aap next step, next step karte jayenge to aap ko meri tech startup samajh mein aa jayegi.

Mere ko London ka ek investor contact kiya, maine use contact nahin kiya, usi ne mujhe Facebook par contact kiya. Ki mere ko aap ke company mein invest karni hai. Maine online ja ke check kiya, o jis venture capital firm ke liye kaam karta hai to us ke bare mein jankari li. Bahut bada firm hai maloom huwa. Main thora hichak gaya. Kahen to maine late 1990s se hi ye dekha hai. Jo investor bahut paisa invest karte hain o kabhi kabhi aap ka valuation kharab kar denge. Kahenge lo panch million, aur badle mein mujhe company ka 30% ownership do. Wahan mamla gadbad ho jati hai.

Ek huwa karta tha Kozmo.com. Manhattan mein aap DVD, pizza order karo online ja ke, wo aap ko deliver karti thi. Us ne late 90s mein bahut fundraising ki, lagbhag 200 million. Lekin us ke founders ne kya galtee ki, company un investor ko de diya. Yani ki founder hai CEO, lekin ab wo owner nahin, 200 million raise karne ke baad ek jobholder ho ke rah gaya. Wo galtee main duhrana nahin chahta. Huwa kya wo company dub gaya. Ek hote hain venture capitalist, ek hote hain vulture capitalist. Wo jo London ka investor mere to contact kiya, usko main vulture capitalist nahin bol raha hun. Usne mujh se ye promise karbaya ki when you are ready for round three, promise me you will call me. To maine kaha I promise.

IC

Bahut log ye round 1, round 2, round 3 bala baat nahin samajhte hai. Hum Madhesi pichhde jaat hain. Kirana dokan samajhte hain, paan dokan samajhte hain, tech startup nahin samajhte hain. Kirana dokan mein kya hota hai? Poonji lagao, jao saman kino wholesale mein, uske baad bechna shuru kar do, revenue aane lagta hai. Lekin tech startup mein waisa nahin hota hai. Round 1 paisa raise karo, round 1 ka kaam karo. Round 1 ka kaam dikha ke us ke bal par round 2 paisa raise karo. Round 2 kaam karo. Usi tarah round 3 fundraising karo. Round 4 mein ja ke balla balla revenue ane lagta hai. Tab ja ke round 5, 6 mein ja ke company ko stock market par list karo. Waise hota hai. Ye kirana dokan thore hai, ye to tech startup hai.

Log kahenge London ka investor jo millions invest karta us ko wait, wait bol diya is aadmi ne, aur hum logo se do hajar, panch hajar mag raha hai. To wo aap samajhne ka prayas kijiye. Ye round 1, round 2, round 3 ka khel hai. Agar mera round 3 secure hai to wo aap ke liye good news hai. Is ka matlab company age badhega.

Nahin to tech startup ka dusra khel hai agar company duba to aap ka paisa duba. Utna aap risk le rahe hain. Ye high risk, high gain wali baat hai. Wo to main jhooth nahin bolunga. Saf baat. Lekin nahin dubega. Late 1990s dot coms bahut dube. Ek do mein main bhi founding member tha. Lekin main kabhi bhi top byakti us samay nahin tha. Ye pahla startup hai jis mein top byakti main hoon, aur main full responsibility le ke age badh raha hoon.

IC

Kuchh Madhesi kahte hain hum to gareeb hain, paisa nahin hai, kaise invest karein? Are yaar, mera round 1 investment opportunity waise hi gareeb logon ke liye hai. Ye aap ke jindagi mein antim mauka hai jab aap ko ek aise company ke jo 10 saal ke under Nasdaq par listed rahega us ke round 1 mein aane ka invitation aap ko mil raha hai. Banki jindagi aap ko dusra mauka nahin milega.

Maine kaha jo aadmi mere round 1 mein 10,000 dollar invest karega uska 10,000 jo hai so 30 saal mein 300 million ban chooka rahega. Wo main kis ke bal par kah raha hoon? To mere se 30-40 sal pahle jo company shuru huwe, un companiyon mein round 1 mein 10,000 invest karne walo ka wahi haal huwa, 30 saal baad wo 10,000 jo hai so 300 million bana. To wo to history hai. Main badha chadha ke nahin bol raha hooon.

North America ke sab se paisa wale Nepali kahlate hain hamare Toronto ke Adityaji. Wo bhi Mahottari ke, hum bhi Mahottari ke. To unhone apna company becha Sun ko 100 million mein. Char partner the, to unko 25 million mila hoga. Us mein Toronto Film Festival bagairah mein kharcha warcha kiye, kitna banki hai wo to wo jane aur bhagban jane. Chhote mote company kharid liye jate hain, bade company Nasdaq par jate hai. Mera company Sun category ka company huwa. Wo Nasdaq par jayega. Mahottari ke aur hain, Bhatauliya ke Hari Mahaseth. To maine unko kaha, doctor ho gaye hain, talab hai saal ka 110,000, to agar Adityaji ka net worth exceed karna hai to mere company mein 10,000 invest kariye aur usko 30 saal chhod dijiye. Mahottari se sirf ek millionaire kyon ho, dusra aap bhi ho jaiye. To wo Madhesiya kanmanchhanman kiye hai. Babysitter ko paisa dete hain, mere to nahin dete hain. Jab ki main bhi to unko investment ke mamle mein babysitting hi to kar raha hoon.

Adityaji ko kaha maine bahut pahle aap 100,000 par aa jaiye. I will make you more money than Sun. Wo nahin aaye. Wo sonche honge tens of millions to hai hi mere paas, hundreds of millions le ke kya hoga? Kitna film festival sab sponsor karte rehein?

Upendraji ko ana chahiye kam se kam 10,000 mein lekin wo aaye 2,000 mein. No complaints. Maine do hi manga, to wo apne bhai Surendra ke naam se do invest kiye. Surendraji, 30 saal baad aap apna 60 million cash kar lenge.

IC

Ek hain California mein Ram Shah, sunte hain real estate main bahut kamaye huwe hain. Unko bhi offer kiya 2,000 par aa jaiye. Nahin aaye. Ratan Jha nahin aye. Ajeeb log hain. Hum ko lagta hai un dono ka gurmintee chalta hai.

Main Nobel Peace Prize 2010 ka dabedar hoon. Nobel jitna hai, jitne ke baad Larry Ellison ko approach karna hai, 30 million aap invest karo, now I need to hit production and distribution in a major way.

Agar aap round 1 mein nahin aaye to round 2, round 3 mein nahin aa sakte hain. Then you have to wait until after the company goes public. Law hai. Round 2 and on sirf license prapt investor aa sakte hain, jaise wo London wala Andy.

To main America, Canada, Russia ke Madhesiyon ko ek baar phir se apeel karta hoon aap 2K and above par mere round 1 mein aa jaiye. Nahin aaye to 10 saal ke under aap matha thokiyega. Subbhash Chandra Bose ne kaha, tum mujhe khoon do main tumhe ajadi doonga. Main to khoon nahin mang raha, sirf thora investment mang raha hoon. Tum mere round 1 mein invest karo, main tumhe national aur global level par ka equality doonga. Main tumhe malamal kar doonga.

Upendraji aur mere mein ye pharak hai ke wo bahut kiye, legend aadmi hain, lekin Nasdaq par kuchh list nahin kiye, hum karenge.

IC

Introduction
Between You and Andy Knell
Andy Knell
4:45pm September 16th
HI Paramendra,
I got your details from the “Investment Banking Professionals” network group. I work with a London based corporate finance house 'Carpe Diem Corporate'. We hold mandates for funding and investment opportunities across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. This includes debt, equity, and listings, as well as large and small ticket sales.
It would be very useful to know which area of IB you work in and whether it would be pertinent to share with you our current summary of mandates.
Thank you
Andy Knell
Paramendra Bhagat
9:26pm September 17th
I have a young tech startup. Probably not of interest to you unless you help raise seed money.
Andy Knell
9:48am September 18th
We will consider seed capital business on an individual basis. You can see our range of services at: www.carpediemcorporate.co.uk
If you would like to discuss this further feel free to send me an executive summary: ______@carpediemcorporate.co.uk
Paramendra Bhagat
4:01pm September 18th
Sure. I am in.
Andy Knell
6:16pm September 18th
ok thanks.
----Original Message-----
From: Paramendra Bhagat [mailto:paramendra--gmail.com]
Sent: 19 September 2007 04:31
To: Andy Knell
Subject: Re: Your Facebook Email
http://www.geocities.com/paramendra/damien.html
Andy. I will make you rich. My IC company will define the next era of computing. Right now all I have room for is 100K in round 1. Seed money round. I burn that, reappraise and then go for round 2. Can you chip in 100K in a few steps, as in 10K, then 20K, and so on starting right away?
I am going to be bigger than Michael Dell. It will take me 10 years to get there, but I will get there.
Andrew Knell
8:00 am (10 hours ago)
to Paramendra Bhagat
date Sep 21, 2007 8:00 AM
subject RE: Your Facebook Email
Hi,
Have reviewed that link - we may be able to assist at the 3rd round of fundraising before this the numbers are too small for our client base.
Kind regards
Andrew
A Knell
for and on behalf of
Carpe Diem Corporate
E-mail: ______@carpediemcorporate.co.uk
Website: www.carpediemcorporate.co.uk
Corporate Finance Specialists, Company Acquisitions & Sales, Global Real Estate, Corporate Recovery, Listings (Pre-IPO's, IPO's, Reversals, and Shells).

NY Tech MeetUp Mailing List Web 5.0 Controversy
Web 5.0 Is Da Bomb
Competing For the Web 3.0 Definition
NY Tech MeetUp: 02/03/09
Conceptually Diligent: Web 5.0 Is Repackaging Hello
Onto Digital Publishing
Mitch Kapor Now Following Me On Twitter
Defining Web 4.0
I Get Twitter
Indra Nooyi: Power Woman

Madhesi Gathering: Shangrila: Jay Kishan Heights: New Year

2009-01-11T13:10:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year 2009. That was the ring of the email Aniket Shah sent to the New York Metro Madhesi mailing list, now almost 50 strong. Who knew there were so many Madhesiyas around? The price tag was scary, but I braved it. My hero is Sam Walton. The guy had plastic chairs at the Walmart headquarters in Arkansas. I'd have said, let's go for a dinner buffet place, about $10 a head, and you could have asked $5 a head on top of that for the organization. That would still have had the price tag down by 10 bucks. But some other Madhesiyas have richer/finer tastes. The first ever gathering I ever got behind, it happened in Prospect Park, zero cost per person. That was once upon a time when Binay Shah and I were still talking. That remains my preferred format, not recommended for winter though. Zero cost, plentiful food. You convince Binay Shah to go shopping beforehand. New guy in town, you make it sound like that is how things are done in New York.

I think we should have one potluck picnic in central park like that. Every summer.

Google ranks a website by how many other websites link to that site. It is called PageRank. I have a concept called MadhesiRank. That is, how many Madhesiyas you know, and how many Madhesiyas know you. Binod Shah is easily the top name on that MadhesiRank list in Greater New York. (I realized only yesterday these people had also colonized Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Even PA is part of New York, first time I am hearing this.)

From my temporary fancy residence in Scarsdale I moved to the rugged immigrant experience residence in Ridgewood to be in the city, neither of them mine. In Nepal you would have said I moved from Mahuwa to Bhanu Chowk. Here they say I moved from a suburb to a ghetto. Maybe not ghetto. Inner city? Not inner city. What's the term? Uh, you should check out Myrtle Avenue at this time of the year. Like a bride at a Maithil wedding. I read up on Ridgewood online. Some big mafia bosses from the past century have been buried nearby. Should I be scared?

I am the person who launched ANTA in New York. Vasco De Gama? Christopher Columbus? Neil Armstrong? Tenzing? But I never joined ANTA. The first part offended Binod Shah, the second part offended Ratan Jha. That is a stroke of genius, to offend both of them. Binod Shah is like, what, who is this Ratan Jha, he never heard of me before? The thing is I had online notoriety for years before that. In the primitive internet era, there was but one online watering hole for Nepalis all across the world, called The Nepal Digest. They had to shut that site down because they could not put up with me no more. That notorious. So those of you who got surprised they kicked me out of Nepal Democracy Forum - small Google Group, big ego - I had track record. So it was only a matter of time before I also offended Charlie Rangel.

The solution to free speech is more free speech.

For the first and last time I would like to explain why I never joined ANTA. I will come to many ANTA events. I want to and do know all the active ANTA people. But I can't join. I will not join. For me my political work has not been hobby, it has been a second career, I have done cutting edge work. For that I have a digital democracy organization called Hamro Nepal, it is not a diaspora organization because I also have members in Nepal. It is completely digital. That is the only organization I can join. Because I necessarily have to stay free of the ANTA, NAC, NRN hierarchy to do the work I have done, 75% done, 25% left to do. It is about work. I have also had a basic complaint of lack of democracy and transparency in the whole NAC, NRN framework. There has to be bottom up, not top down.

So don't ask me if I will join ANTA. Ask me if I will show up for a particular event. That is to be decided on a case by case basis. Especially now as I embark on life, part two.

The beauty of my style of politics is everyone who ever read a news article somewhere thinks he is bigger than you politically. Maybe that is what grassroots politics is all about. Is there grassroots surgery?

Happy New Year 2009.

So I am at Amit Shah's place. He wants to start a business. I think he can. I am pitching him mine. Aniket Shah drops by. You want to raise money? Let's call the Madhesiyas together. Before I have my PowerPoint ready, Aniket Shah has sent out the email to the mailing list. We got an event. Happy New Year. So when I was the last speaker, and I talked about my business, and Binod Shah said, for that you have to organize your own dinner, I was about to say, what do you think this dinner got organized for?

But I am not pushing. I mean, if it is about investing, right now is a beautiful time to buy stocks. Stocks are down and out. Which means they will go up. So buy. I am giving a buy signal. And Divita Mehta thought she was the only finance whiz.

But not everyone can invest. For the average Madhesi in the Metro, rent comes first. I am with you. I feel your pain.

By the way Divita Mehta paid for my dinner yesterday. They say there is no free lunch. They mean but there is free dinner. I did not even know she was coming. Ritesh Chaudhary told me only two minutes before she arrived. And her father. Jai Mehta. He too. I was surprised to see both.

Good thing she paid, or I had estimated the cost to be $18, so loaned $20 to Anirudh, and had $20 for me. Five bucks short, they would have found out real fast.

I launched ANTA. Binay Shah and Ritesh Chaudhary expanded it. Wait. I expanded it to about six members, the big catch there was Satendra Shah, who has now become a brain drain to Colorado. Then the two expanded it. Then finally Binod Shah came in. And when he expanded it, he made it look like there was no ANTA before he came along.

Serial entrepreneurs are known to start many companies.

Amit Shah looks like the new face of ANTA, the one who will take the organization in the Metro to yet new heights. I saw a glimpse of it yesterday.

Nawal Yadav took a swipe at my not showing up for the Holi celebration last year. Maybe he never heard of Barack Obama. He also took a swipe at Binod Shah suggesting the Shah family should pay also for the two kids. I was thinking the other way round. The two parents should not have to pay for bringing the two kids along. Amit was boring me with a speech, at the same time Radhika was singing, Nagara, Nagara, Nagara Baja. That I thought was priceless.

Amit Shah's killer application is -- Google's is Gmail -- Amit's is the Holi idea. It would be the flagship ANTA event for the year, every year. The entire Nepali community would be the target audience. It would be a major fundraiser for ANTA. Piece of cake. Can be done.

Amit Shah claims he can sell 200 tickets all by himself. I believe him. I think there is plenty of Pahadi guilt in town that we should be able to sell 400 tickets. Prepare a list of about six ticket sellers, names and phone numbers, and I will send it out to my New York Nepali mailing list, 500 strong.

But don't put my name anywhere, I think you had me on some kind of a doorman sub sub committee.

Yesterday I had emails from Google's employee number one, and someone I am eyeing to be my CTO maybe, a major Web 2.0 name in Britain, Calcutta guy, CIO of the Year in Britain a few years back. They take me seriously. But one Nepali in Queens, good hearted guy, very earnestly suggested once to me that he heard I wanted to start a business, how about one of those job agencies, they seem to make good money. He took me to see a friend of his who already runs one. I thought that humiliation a little lighter, better than when I said round 1, round 2, round 3, and some people - Pahadi and Madhesi - are like, this guy is running some kind of a scheme. Listen to him politely, but stay away. Mareko Madhesiyale Jiundo Pahariyalai Thagchha.

A $10,000 investment in round 1 becoming $300 million in 30 years is based on what companies that started 30, 40 years ago did. That is a conservative estimate. No scheme. But there is always Pahadi prejudice. And there are Madhesiyas who claim they are too poor - "too ghetto" - to be able to invest $2000 to secure a retirement. Warren Buffett knocked on a friend's door, friends then, friends now, friends always in between. You know, college education is getting expensive, if you invest 10,000 in my startup now, that takes care of your kids' college when they grow up. The friend never came along. Today that 10,000 would have been 300 million. Hari Mahaseth is my friend now, my friend 30 years from now, and friend in between all along.

Ram Manohar Shah is such a presence online, I thought he did not exist offline, but he showed up.

Happy New Year 2009.

IC

Hindi Love Songs

2009-01-07T16:51:00.003-05:00

Global Madhesi Organization

2008-11-16T20:52:00.008-05:00

Hello All.

I have chanced upon three threads of conversations in my Gmail on the topic. I am so glad for it. I have read all the emails, and I would also like to comment.

First of all, thank you. Thanks to all who have participated in the conversation. I feel honored to join the same.

Second, I commend the work of all those who have established and nurtured Madhesi organizations in a few different countries. I have seen Ratan Jha and friends launch ANTA, I have seen Ram Sah and others expand the same on the West Coast, and I have seen Dr. Binod Sah, a family friend, take ANTA to new heights in the New York Metro region where most Madhesis in America happen to be congregated. I was glad to be part of the conversations that launched the Madhesi organizations in Britain and India. I am so glad there is now one in Australia, and I am so glad the person leading it has a Muslim name. We the cream of the crop might be open minded, but we have to be mindful of the complexities of diversity in the Terai, Pahadi-Madhesi, Male-Female, Hinu-Mulsim, the various caste groups. The grievances on the ground are genuine, and we have to deal with those ground realities. It is not enough to say you personally are not prejudiced.

Third, some details.

One, there is no doubt in my mind at all that we do need a global organization. Actually the idea is long overdue.

Two, what will we call it? We could call it MI, Madhesi International, or ANT, Association of the Nepali Teraian. I am open to other possibilities besides these two.

Three, its composition. All national organizations will be members, naturally. The president of each national chapter will form a committee. That committee would work to launch new chapters in other countries, and grow in existing ones.

Four, the umbrella organization should have as little power as possible. The power should rest with the national chapters. The umbrella should only facilitate coordination.

Five, I emphasize democracy and transparency, as much of both as possible at all levels of the organizations. Face it, the reality is that in person meetings will be few and far between. Much of the work will get done over the Internet. We should use digital technology to the hilt. Do events, blog events, blog as in text blog, photo blog, video blog.

Six, the organization can not affiliate itself with any political party in Nepal. At the same time it can not stay detached from the ongoing political challenges of the Terai. ANTA played a key role in the January-February 2007 Madhesi movement. I vividly remember. That also has to be the spirit of the umbrella organization. That movement is what gave birth to AIMSA and ANMUK. We are naturally going to be party to the heated discussions on federalism. I am bothered that because the Madhesi parties won big in the Terai, the Pahadi police has gone slack on law and order in the Terai. We have to shout out and protest. Law and order is a basic function of the state.

Seven, the key thing is to keep talking, keep the conversation alive. That is how we will come across new ideas. That is how we will deepen our unity and spirit and understanding.

Madhesi Jagaran: Contents

http://www.terai.org
http://madhesi.blogspot.com
http://associationofnepalimadhesisinuk.giving.officelive.com
http://www.madheshuk.org
http://www.aimsanepal.org
http://www.terainepal.org
http://indiamadhesi.wordpress.com
http://www.madhesi.wordpress.com
http://yfmnepal.blogspot.com

http://groups.google.com/group/madhesiinchina
http://groups.google.com/group/madheshi-doctors-association
http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank
http://groups.google.com/group/madheshi-freedom-fighters
http://groups.google.com/group/madheshuk
http://groups.google.com/group/madhesi
http://groups.google.com/group/madhesi---united-we-stand
http://groups.google.com/group/madhesiplatform
http://groups.google.com/group/passionate-madeshis
http://groups.google.com/group/edu4madhesh
http://groups.google.com/group/emadhesh

Happy Chhath

2007-11-10T17:39:00.000-05:00

Satya Narayan Shah: Concept Of A Regional Party

2007-02-20T13:18:00.000-05:00

The concept of a Madhesh state is the Madhesi Movement's gift to me. Before that I was espousing a three state federalism: Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali. The state terror unleashed upon the movement and the intense demonization of the movement that has continued have put me firmly in the camp of those who want a Madhesh state.

Yesterday I went to the Democracy Day reception organized by the Nepal Mission To The UN here in New York City. I found myself engaged with some hard core prejudiced Pahadis, the hartakarta Bahuns in the city who would say things like "the unrest was a law and order problem, it did not have a political solution," "we need to drive the madeses out of Nepal to India where they came from," and so on. I responded in kind. "Yo kotha ma bhayeka Nepaliharoo bhaneko kuwa ko bhyaguto. Kun Bahun ko ke nai aukat chha ra New York ma?" "Madhesh state ra Madhesh police ko sthapana bhaye pachhi hamee pani law and order kai kura garamla." "Madhesh state ma Bahun haroo lai minority rights dine kura thiyo. Aba tyo kura chat parna parla."

And then there was some sane talk. I basically laid it out as follows.

Are you for democracy? Answer: yes.
Are you for federalism? Answer: yes.
Well then, what is your map for federalism? My map has a Madhesh state in it. Both of us should try and sell our respective maps to the Madhesi people. Let the people decide.
That Madhesh state should be such that it has minority rights, and even non-Madhesis feel comfortable living there.

I am open to the idea of a regional party for the Madhesh, but I am more open to the idea of a large Madhesi-Janajati party that will emerge the largest in the constituent assembly. The seven parties do not offer hope. If they were to deliver now, there would be no need for a Madhesi Janajati Movement. But because there is, that shows the seven parties are not up to the task.

We have to be very suspicious of the Maoist federalism. We don't want a Madhesh state that is like the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Proposed Constitution
Janata Dal Constitution

Dear Colleagues/Friends

I wish to invite you, with your spouse, at a reception I and Geeta will be hosting on the occasion of the 57^th National Democracy Day at the following date, time and venue. I would certainly appreciate your kind presence.

Madhu Raman Acharya

Ambassador/PR

Date: Monday February 19, 2007

Time: 6.00 PM to 8.00 PM

Venue: Himalayan Yak Restaurant & Bar

72-20 Roosevelt Avenue

Jackson Heights NY 11372

Dress: Informal

Dear All

Nepal is to resolve great political issues to move forward. Still few points are to be pondered For that intellectuals must contribute in Nation building. I have put some of them as below. Please think over and let us discuss and give feed back to make our better future.

Regional Political Parties – Possibilities and challenges

Madhesh People's Movement has brought forward few important points/issues to think over. Different people have different opinion/thoughts regarding this Movement. Few thought that this was communal, few took it as separatist agitation, but most of Political Parties and Intellectuals took it as fight for the Madheshi human right. Even the Parties and Leaders accepted that this is fight for the real cause. But the great questions arise here, the people who are in the power or in the Government after realizing the fact why did 27 people were killed, many were wounded and the whole country was put in a very painful situation.

The international agencies who were also in dark or pretending to be ignorant about the fact that the Nepal does not mean only a nation of Hills people. After the Madheshi Mass Movement they have also been compelled to realize that Madheshis are also genuine citizen of Nepal and they also need to be addressed.

Nepal and Nepalese have always been cheated and misguided by the rulers. Their genuine issues could never be addressed in a proper manner

Now the question is who to be blamed for such situation. Political Parties or the people themselves?

Before going to the above question it is necessary to draw your attention on the Mass Movement 2046. People were very much hopeful to achieve Human rights after restoration of Democracy. Because Panchyat System had strategically developed people as slaves through increasing poverty among general public and introducing corruption among so called enlightened people. After restoration of democracy people were quiet hopeful that this status will improve but unfortunately, the same things started repeating in still open ways. The Political parties could not bring any effective improvement programs. They started playing politics just in the dirty politics ways. They forgot that in this century the politics can only sustain if they manage the country with managerial skills. People always wanted to draw the nation's attention towards their real problems.

Eventually, the political parties turned to be failure in this country. People now want to see new faces to rule the country but unfortunately the parties, even today have the previous hangover.

In such situations;

1. Do you think the same political Parties can improve their working culture and will be able to resolve the National Issues?

2. Do you think Maoist can be able to Transform the Nepalese Society and lead this country to the path proper development and Prevent Nepal in going to be failed State?

3. What are the chances of formation of Regional Political Parties?

4. Do you think the Large political Parties like Nepali Congress, Nepali congress (Democratic), Nepal Communist party, and Nepal Sadvawana party will survive in the same manner as they are doing at present?

5. Will the large political Parties try to open regional parties as sister organizations?

--
Er.Satya Narayan Shah
Janakpurdam-4
Cell:- +977 98510 04366
Phone: +977 1 4465729/2030068
Email: er.snshah@gmail.com; snshah@wlink.com.np

Janakpur FM 101.8 MHz
New York Se Sandesh
15 Minutes Every Week

4 million Madhesis, 8 million Maithili speaking people.

Paramendra Ji

I know you through your blogs being a regular visitor though passive.I was told about you ,courtesey Satya Narayan j ,my close friend.We are also trying our best utilising all resources at our command for our community. It will be nice to hear you on Janakpur FM ,101.8 MHz and you will be talking to 4 million madhesis and about 8 million maithili speaking people.It will be nice to get your voice in mp3 format although our internet speed is very slow .Anyway we will be getting very useful material which is bound to be informative and morale boosting.
I know you and your family as we are neighbours and are at same mental wave length

vijay

Paramendra Bhagat wrote:

Bijayji.

http://madhesiaawaz.blogspot.com

I have been to your clinic near Bhanu Chowk - yellow building - as a
kid in the early 80s. And my father contested elections against your
brother in 1991. Now I am in NYC. Thank you Satya Narayan Chacha for
the contact info.

I am very interested in reaching the Madhesi audience through your FM.
My views are at www.madhesi.net

If you have reporters who might want to ask me specific questions,
they can email me, and I can respond in MP3 format and post them here.
And the MP3 material can be used to put on air.

http://madhesiaawaz.blogspot.com

That might be best.

What do you think? Let me know.

I look forward to appearing on a regular basis.

On 2/18/07, Satya Narayan Shah wrote:
> Dear Papu
> There are three FMs working in Janakpur but out of them I think one will be
> more suited to you. The contact person is Dr. Vijay Kumar Singh
> email: drvjy@yahoo.com
> Ph; 00977 41 520374
> cell: 00977 98540 20274
> You can email him and get the response. If you need I can talk with him. It
> is better if try first.

Let A Thousand Flowers Bloom

2007-01-25T12:47:00.000-05:00

What about this?

As many ANTA members as possible launch their own projects. You start with education for say 1o kids in your village. And that comes cheap. Primary education is free. You just buy them basic stationery. And you arrange for the photos of the recipients to be taken and posted on your project site. Thanks to Blogger, creating a website is free, and as easy as using Microsoft Word.

And so you have all these separate projects. The basic idea is that you can lift any family out of poverty through the magic three: education, health, micro credit. In the long run, the micro credit part should be able to pay for the other two. But in the short run, you only do what you can. You might only do basic education, and that is okay.

Say you say you are going to put aside $30 per month for your homevillage. That is good enough. Besides, all this would be a tax write off for you. So you are not really even spending money. You are just putting in some basic effort to connect to your homevillage.

As long as you can deliver on the total transparecy part, you would qualify for funds from the original Wall Street to Nepal project. How does this sound? This way we keep the bureaucracy to the minimum. So your $30 a month project could end up a $1000 a month project down the line. And all because you made the basic effort to connect to your homevillage.

Each participating project would manage its own funds. But each would submit regular financial statements to the ANTA Treasurer.

How does this sound? Please comment in the comments section instead of crowding out people's inboxes.

And when you have to go home once a year, or once every two years, you can put that as a tax write off too, as long as you will make the effort to visit with all aspects of your project on the ground, and will document everything, in photos, in videos to be posted online. Ticket to home becomes "free" at that point.

What do you have to lose?

ANTA Politics, And Madhesi Self Hate

Madhesi Communication: Madhesi Movement

2007-01-21T23:57:00.000-05:00

Thank you Ram Sahji. Thank you Satya Narayan Chacha. Both of you exemplify the best of the Madhesi diaspora and the Madhesi in Nepal respectively. I would like to throw in my few cents worth.

It is very important to not let the momentum break. A Madhesi Movement that is a few decades, a few centuries too late, is finally here. It has been hard to get it started. To try to calm it down would be like trying to calm down the April Revolution on its third or tenth day. We can not let that happen.

On the other hand, we can not let it run like a wild fire. It has to be guided, it has to be lead. What to do? Money, message, organization.

Organization: We need a Madhesi Movement Coordination Committee. This would be an umbrella organization of all Madhesi groups in the country.

Message: Round 1 has to be upto the constituent assembly elections. I propose we have a simple common minimum program of two points: (1) citizenship papers to all Madhesis without failure. (2) 205 constituencies based on equal population.

The rest of the Madhesi agenda we are going to have to get through the constituent assembly.

Once a Madhesi Movement Coordination Committee is formed, it will only make sense for all the big names in the Madhesi diaspora to fund it. Ram Sah is in a perfect position to spearhead that effort.

We have to warn that we will not allow the constituent assembly elections to be held unless these two demands are met. And if need be, we have to carry out our threat by organizing a Terai Band for a week during the constituent assembly elections.

It is very important that we form a seamless communication between the Madhesi in Nepal and the Madhesis all over the world. And the internet is how you do it.

We should videoblog all aspects of the Madhesi Movement. I propose we use YouTube extensively. We are in a fight to mobilize world opinion on our behalf. And nothing works like video.

Jai Madhesh.
Madhesi Adhikar: Abhi Nahin To Kabhi Nahin.

ANTA
Terai News
DFN

Long term though, I propose we all get around to this Proposed Constitution. I personally don't want a separate Madhesi state, I want Madhesis to rule over all of Nepal.

िफर से कह दो एक बार इन्िकलाब
New Jersey Madhesi Gathering: Photos

Dear All:

I had discussions with many of you regarding Madhesh issue at different times. The issue evolving in Madhesh is the result of discrimination against Madheshi people by the state and exclusion of Madheshi from the positions of power in Nepal. My experience as a person of Madhesh is that Madheshi were made to feel in Nepal that they were not as good as Pahadi. Comments have been made that Madheshi were not the only discriminated groups in Nepal--gurungs, magars and many other communities were also discriminated against. This argument is true but there was a huge difference in which Madheshis were treated compared to even the most discriminated groups of hills. Although Madheshi's have been in Madhesh since the time Janak and Buddha (compared to approx. 200-year history of most Pahadis who were immigrants from India), but they were made to feel that they were not true Nepali but Indian immigrants. Madheshis were not given equal representation in 1990 democratic constitution. When they are being deprived of equal representation even today, there is reason for them to be angry.

Country needs to create laws and policies that offer (a) equal opportunity, (b) equal representation, and (c) avenue for seeking justice if one is denied of either a or b. This is necessary for assuring durable peace and national integrity. Ignoring situation and letting it go is not in the interests of either Pahadi, Madheshi, Business communities, or non-resident investors. As long as Madheshis feel alienated and Nepal ignores it and that results in the polarization of Madheshi and Pahadi communities, neither Pahadi will feel safe in Madhesh nor Madheshi will feel safe in Pahad, and there will be no assurance of safety of either individual, business or investment in either part.

Here is my suggestion to the people to deal with the current situation:

Provide forum for the people of Madhesh to express their grievances. This is necessary for eventual healing process. National/International Terai forum/conference along with an internet-based Madhesh group (as suggested by someone) and a Madhesh-oriented major news paper will be helpful in this respect. Non-resident Nepalese should help fund these things.
Empower people of Madhesh so that are able to demand and take equitable share in constitution of Nepal. Equal representation and equal opportunity in all aspects of nation are basic requirement for democracy. We non-resident Nepalese should provide moral support to persons or groups engaged in this endeavor.

I appreciate hearing your comments.

Thanks,

Ram N. Sah

Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2007 6:31 AM

Subject: Madheshi Andolan

Dear Mr. Upendra Jee

Namaskar

I have already had a telephone conversation with you last night. In addition to that I have few opinions in my mind which I want to share with you. My intention is to strengthen the movement effectively so that eventually it touches our common goals. My view points are as below;

Yesterday's meeting was very successful and effective but we have to retain, and strengthen it otherwise there are chances that it will turned into a whimsical act. To avoid such situation we have to be very careful, sensitive as well as strategic.
There were few young people who were trying to hit the vehicles and abuse passers by ( pahadi).
The participation is increasing every day. This is quite natural because every body (Madheshi) is oppressed by the rulers of Nepal. We can not stop it, rather we should not do it in any case but we have to be careful that the strategies are not played by opportunist (even if Madheshi).
Some of Phadi are in feeling that this is a communal and separatist act. Whereas in my view we are not against any Pahadi commoner. We are against the rulers who do not believe in equality. We are demanding equal human rights as others are enjoying in this country.
We do believe that the deprived people should be given priority whether they are Pahadi or Madheshi.
The Government is giving lame excuse that Himali zones are less developed hence they should be given preferences. But the reality is different if there is a question of development the government should come up with such development policy. I don't think any one will deny but so far the human right, citizen rights are concern every one should be given equal weights.
Our main strategy should be to go ahead with HARMONY IN THE SOCIETY and GAIN SUPPORT FROM OTHER COMMUNITY. It must be NON-VIOLENCE.

I think some of the immediate further actions should be as below;

Distribution of Hand bills, Poster and banners mainly saying that the movement is not against Pahadi it is for the demand of equal right for all the deprived citizens of this country.
Few action groups should be formed at different part of the country so that well organized and well communicated actions are launched further.
The politicians from political parties are also joining hands to day, in this situation to value them; one central level action committee should be formed.
Any mass program should be predetermined and that should be followed by every participant. The slogans should also be predetermined. Otherwise it becomes directionless mass.
After every program there should be review meeting of core group and bring change in the strategy if required.

Hope you will think over the above points.

Further we can discuss more as the time requires.

Regards

Er. Satya Narayan Shah,

9851004366

snshah@wlink.com.np

er.snshah@gmail.com

Dear Mr. Prabhat

Regards

I understand your feelings very well. it is not only your feeling but it represents many of us. Here at this moment, we must think coolly and take actions ahead. Let me give you one example. You might have experienced the hurtfulness when your pajama gets multiple knots on you pajama and on the otherside you are in hurry to release your pressure in the toilet. In that case you have to unknot the pajama one by one then only you can release your pressure. Otherwise you have to be ready to face atleast two consequences; one you spoil your pajama and secondly you tear your pajama and release your pressure. It all depend on you how do you want to solve your problem. In my view it is wise to unknot the pajama one by one. In my opinion we must maintain harmony in our society. We can not achieve any thing if we disturb the social harmony. We should always keep one thing in our mind that few people want to give communal color to this movement. It depends on us whether we want to continue the Madhesh Mass Movement or end up with a fruitless communal riot. let us all try to make it COMPLETE NON-VIOLENT MOVEMENT then only we can achieve our political goals.

satya narayan shah

Ask Pahadis MPs from Madhesh ti quit.
Pahadis can not represent Madheshis. Can They ? They adjactly represent Pahadis who envaded Madhesh and continuously exploited in their interest. Ask to quit if they are representing Madhesh.
Madheshi Mps with some of their Pahadi masters are crying for peace, harmony etc.Why they are not speaking for madheshis rights? The all 37 signed to insult Madheshi activists are swindlers.

Prabhat.

ANTA Press Release On Madhesi Movement

2007-01-19T17:46:00.000-05:00

PRESS RELEASE
Association of Nepali Teraian in America (ANTA) has noted with concern the continuing disruption of normal life in the Terai region of Nepal. ANTA believes that the recent success of negotiations between the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) Government and the Communist Party of Nepal (M) leading to the promulgation of an Interim Constitution, Interim Parliament and the forthcoming Interim Government offers the best opportunity ever to restructure the Nepali state so as to reflect the best interests and aspirations of all Nepalis, including the traditionally marginalized people of the Terai region. ANTA firmly believes in democracy, fair political competition and proactive policies by national government as means to overcome the disadvantaged position in which the people of Terai have been relegated by the past regimes. Keeping a forward looking approach, ANTA sees the holding of the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections as central to forming an inclusive democratic system in Nepal.
Aware of the high stakes in a successful transition, ANTA calls on all the political leaders and Nepali people to show highest levels of tolerance, restraint and accommodation at this critical juncture of political transition. Welcoming the statements, as reported in the media, by the government leaders as well as the leaders of both factions of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) to engage in negotiations to resolve outstanding issues, we call for expedited negotiations to end violence and strengthen the democratic process. ANTA also shares The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Nepal’s concern over the arrest of Madhesi activists and political party members and calls for their immediate release. In the best interest of Nepal’s national unity and democracy, ANTA also calls on the government to respond promptly to the legitimate demands of the people of Terai region including speedy distribution of citizenships to all those eligible, population as the basis of representation, greater autonomy to the people of Terai region and better and visible representation of Terai people in all aspects of government. ANTA firmly believes that the overall development of Terai can only result in a stronger Nepal.
For further information or queries in this regard, contact Mr. Mukesh Singh, Spokesperson, ANTA at (614) 370-9652 or ileshsingh@gmail.com.

Der hai andher nahin. I am so glad for this statement, especially this part: "....ANTA also calls on the government to respond promptly to the legitimate demands of the people of Terai region including speedy distribution of citizenships to all those eligible, population as the basis of representation.."

Federalism we will get through the constituent assembly, but the Madhesi Movement for now and for the next few months has to focus on these two central issues.

(1) Citizenship papers for all Madhesis --- the government has decided to give it to 33 lakh more, the real number should be twice that much -- and we have to agitate. A government that denies the citizenship papers is inviting separatism, is with those who have started calling for a separate country.
(2) All 205 constituencies should be based on equal population. Democracy means one person, one vote.

We have to make these two demands, and stick by them through thick and thin, and we have to measure the progress and lack thereof. We are soldiers of non-violence. If we stay passive, the vacuum will be filled by those who speak the language of the gun.

What can the Prabasi Madhesi do? Money, message, organization. I think we could start with the small step of creating a fund that will facilitate videoblogging of the Madhesi Movement as it happens, so the Prabasi Madhesi feels closer to the action and thus is more in tune. And we also do it to get world opinion on our side.

We have to make the Madhesis in Nepal feel we are very much with them in this movement.

And by the way, Divita Mehta has a standing offer for Madhesis in the tri-state area, to gather on Any Given Sunday.

http://madhesi.blogspot.com/2007/01/bhojpuri-songs.html

ANTA, NYC Gathering
Sunday 6 PM
Curry In A Hurry
119 Lexington Ave, New York 10016
At 28th St

Divita Mehta, so instrumental with the Wall Street To Nepal
(http://ehmwall.blogspot.com) project, is sponsoring it, paying for everyone.

http://madhesi.blogspot.com/2007/01/bhojpuri-songs.html

It will be a free flowing conversation. Some topics to discuss: the
ongoing Madhesi Movement in Nepal, internalized prejudice, gender and
the Terai, and whatever else you come up with.

http://madhesi.blogspot.com/2007/01/movement-time.html

I was thinking of not showing up for the lunch gathering tomorrow at the Ritesh-Bindu place in New Jersey, but after this statement I am more likely.

Hi All,

Let us get together to discuss future course of action of ANTA, NY Chapter.
The proposed schedule and venue are as mentioned below.

Date:
20th january 2007(Saturday)

Venue:
East Rutherford
NJ-07073

Agenda/ schedule:
1 PM: ANTA NYC What all we achieved and missed in 2006.
1:30 PM ANTA NYC Course of Action for 2007.
Future meetings (coordination,frequency etc)
Future members(Further expansion in tristate if possible)
Further involvement of current members'

2:PM to 3:PM Potential Projects in coordination with ANTA

3 PM onwards casual talk on different issues ranging terai.

Please feel free to add any thing that you may want to discuss.
Lunch will be available In-house.

Requesting Binay Jee and Paramendra Jee to co-ordinate travel for the
members who may need a ride.

Looking forward to see you all.

With Best Regards,

Ritesh

And welcome Lalit Jha, the newest member of Hamro Nepal. I would really like it if ANTA members were to help me expand Hamro Nepal deep inside the Madhesh. There is a certain efficiency to the ways of Hamro Nepal.

Typhoid And Typhoid Victims
Prabasi Madhesi Are With The Madhesi Movement In Nepal

I think ANTA members need to do some phonebanking. There are about 60 phone numbers here. If we can get 12 volunteers, we could divide up this list. And we would call up all these people to express moral support to the Madhesi Movement.

Maithil Mahasangh Mr.Amresh Narayan Jha chairperson 01-4331785
Nepal Maithil samaj Mr.Mithlesh Jha chairperson 98510-23319
Maithil Bikash Manch Mr.Dhirendra premarshi chairperson 01-5536994
Maithil Mahila samaj Mrs. Anjala Jha chairperson 01-6637061
Akhil Nepal Yadav Mahila Sangh Mrs. Prabha Yadav chairpersan 01-4472471
Gopal Sewa Samiti (kathamndu Branch) Mr. Suryanath Gope chairperson 01-4331284
Abdhi sanskriti bikash parisad Mr. Biswanath Pathak chairperson 01-4479873
Nepal Bhojpuri Pratisthan Dr. Bansidhar Mishra chairperson 01-4378790 98510-65500
Nepal Bhojpuri Samaj Mr.Deep Narayan Mishra chairperson Birgunj
Nepal Bhojpuri Sahitya kala Parisad Mr. Nagendra Prasad Kanu chairperson Birgunj
Sudee Samaj Mr. Rameshwor Shah chairperson 01-4482339 01-4488951
Teli Kalyankarini Sameti Mr. Shree Govinda Shah chairperson 01-5526903
Tharu kalyankarini Sameti Mr. Narendra Chaudhari chairperson 01-5011021
Chitra Gupta Sewa Sameti Mr. Rajeev Singha chairperson
Nepal Kushwaha Mahasangh Mr. Bharat Prasad Mahto chairperson 01-4490329 98510-36960
Brahmarshi Samaj Mr. Saligrame Mishra chairperson 01-4771951
Maithil Brahman Sabha Mr. Bhagwan Jha chairperson 01-6633220 98510-23094
Maithil Nava Yuba Sahitya Parisad Mr. Kesab kumar Jha chairperson 01-4484099 9841-280734
Maithil nava jagran Sahitya Parisad Mr.Rakesh Kumar Rosan chairperson 01-2002734 9841-311241
Kalwar sewa Sameti Mr.Kishori Chaudhari chairperson 01-4412099
Tajpuriya Samaj kalyan Parisad Mr. Nitya Nanad Tajpuriya chairperson
Nepal Deo Samaj Mr.Rajkumar Deo chairperson
Nepal Mandal Dhanuk Samaj Mr. Rambali Mandal chairperson 9841-324256
Mithila Samaj Mr. Nabin Jha chairperson 9841-262953
Nepal Millat Paresad Mr. Raj Mohmad chairperson 98510-24015
Nepal yadav sewa samiti Pro.Dr. umakant yadav chairperson 01-4330852
Madheshi Dalit Development Fedration Bisheshwor Rajak Chairperson 031-552093 98510-08013
Media Action & Research Group 'MARG" Mr. Rajesh Ahiraj chairperson 01-2043418 9841-219169
Madhesh Adyan Tatha Bikash Samaj , Nepal Mr. Ramchandra Prasad Barnawal chairperson 01-4350073 98510-06279
Madhesh Jagran Abhiyan Mr.Pasupati Mishra chairperson 01-4471264
Terai Bikash Manch Mr.Jaya prakash sahni chairperson 01-4272643
Nepal Terai Baudhik samaj Mr. Ramkishor Singh chairperson 01-4464109 9841-297508
Terai Bikash Pratisthan Mr.Ramesh Jha chairperson 01-4771413
Terai Baudhik Samaj Mr.Abdhesh Singh chairperson 01-4244980 98510-98092
Nepal Terai Engineeyar Samaj Mr. Sitaram Shah chairperson 01-4272895
Madheshi Dalit Jana Adhikar Forum Mr.Rajendra Ram chairperson 01-4480453
Madheshi Jana Adhikar Forum Mr. Upendra Yadav chairperson 01-4480453
Santi r Bikashka lagi Madhesh pratisthan Mr.Bindeshwor Yadav chairperson 01-4331107
Madheshi Rastriya Manch Mr.Ramchandra Ray chairperson 01-4490329
Madheshi Manav Adhikar Kendra Mr.Jaya prakash Gupta chairperson 01-4480453 98510-35799
Nepal Pichhdavarg Mahasangh Mr.Bharat Prasad Mahto chairperson 01-4490329 98510-36970
Awam Sahara Nepal Mr.Mohmad Nijamudeen chairperson 01-4243274 98510-30148
Nepal Madheshi Bikash Parisad Mr.Shiva Sankar Yadav chairperson 01-4249832
Madheshi Maitry Kendra Mr. Kesori Mahto chairperson 01-5591303 98510-81030
Madheshi Nagrik Samaj Dr. Dambar Narayan Yadav chairperson 01-4472900 01-4472471
Madheshi Manav Adhikar Sarokar Kendra Mr.Bishwonath Yadav chairperson 01-5551176
Terai sanskritik Pratisthan, Nepal Mr.Shree Prasad Shah chairperson 01-4231827 9841-390809(sanjiv)
Mahila Jagriti Samaj Sewa Kendra Mrs. Asha Chaturbedi chairperson 01-4483716
Jagriti Nepal Mr. Bijay Kant Karn chairperson 01-5521797 01-5542344(Res)
Nepal Madhesh Bikash Parisad MR. Ram Awatar Yadav chairperson
Acadamy of social justice & Human Rights Dr. Ram Kewal Shah vice-chairman 01-4781557 98510-23999
Madheshi Bidyarthi front Mr.Kesab Jha chairperson 9841-280734
Teli Kalyan Samaj Dr. Chandeswar Shah Chairman 4222-226 (W)
Sudi Samaj Rameshwar Shah Chairman 4488-951 /98412-98042
Madhesh Dalit Samaj Bishweswar Ranjak
Tajpuriya Kalyan Samaj Parisad Nitya Nand Tajpuriya Chairman 4256 569/ 98510-86932
Tharu Kalyankari Sajha Kem Narayan Chaudhari 4477-688
Muslim Samaj Khalil Miyan
Muslim Samaj Lal Babu Kabadi 2043 390/ 98510-91836
Nepal Madheshi Bidyarthi parisad Mr. Chandramauli Prasad Chaudhary chairperson 98030-49623
Terai Bidyarthi Parisad Mr.Saroj Yadav chairperson 98030-27177
Terai Bidyarthi Samaj Mr.Saroj Yadav chairperson 98030-27177
Madheshi Student Society of Law Mr. Rajesh Jha chairperson 98510-59018(Raman)
Tharu Bidyarthi samaj Mr. Chandra Narayan Chaudhary chairperson 01-2021871
Madheshi Bidyarthi front Mr. Keshav Jha Chairperson 9841-280734

Bhojpuri Songs

2007-01-18T10:35:00.000-05:00

Aile More Raja .........Devi bhojpuri song

More .....

Movement Time

2007-01-18T01:55:00.000-05:00

Dear All,

All Madheshi organisatios, people, members of parliament, members of political organization, journalists, layers, doctors, lecturers, teachers, professionals, and all others are requested to participate and show their solidarity with the ongoing madheshi movement and protest rally to be held tomorrow jointly by all sectors of madheshi community on 4th Magh, 2063 at Maitighar Mandala at 11.30 for federal constitution and autonomous Madhesh with equal proportional election system and constitutional recognition of Hindi as second national language and also to stand unite against the discriminatory detention and false criminal charge sheet against 28 madheshi people, presently in judicial custody. Also please try your best to inform all madheshi and officials known to you to actively participate and show our solidarity and unity.

Rameshwar Shah

Happy New Year From Dinesh Tripathi

2006-12-31T12:09:00.000-05:00

गामघर

2006-12-23T16:55:00.000-05:00

देशिवदेश चइल् गेलन् लोक
बोिरयािवस्तर बाइन्हके
साँझअन्हार खोज्लोसे न भेटत्
केकरा केकरा अाँहा किथ कहबई

मन तइयो पिरते होतइ िक
दुरादरबज्जा, खेतखिरहानके
मालजालके अगर पोरा, घाँसफुस
कएने होतइ एक्को बेर
हाटबजार प जाके मछरी किहयो
अगर िकन्ने होतइ
से थोडे िबसिर जतइ

कतनो होतइ हवाइजहाज प चढल
त गरीबइल थोडे िबसिर पतइ
टाइसुट पहनइत समयमें
लुङगी अा गम्छाके जरूर याद
होतइ अबइत

कतनों ढउवा कमा लेतइ
त जनमधर्ती के याद कतः जाके खिरदतइ
वापस त फेनु अाबहीके हइ

चाहे दु िदनके लेल
घुमे अबउक
अा चाहे
सब िदन के लेल
चिल अबउक
अाबेके त हएबे टा करइ

िगिरजा, माधव, प्रचण्ड सब एक जैसे हैं
Rajendra Mahto: नागरिकता विधेयक खोतल्दा
मधेशीसँग संख्या छ, शिक्त छैन
ये तो क्रान्ित है
हृदयेश त्रिपाठी: मधेसी समस्या र राज्यको पुनर्संरचना
संघीय गणतन्त्र
मधेशी अधिकारको कुरामा पहाडीहरुको सहभागीता
मधेशी पहचान
अइ आन्दोलनमें मधेशी अधिकारके बात

Jay, Mona

2006-12-23T15:28:00.000-05:00

Jay-Mona, a match made in heaven/Shaadi.com

Bijay Raut's Book Of Poetry: A Gentle Review

2006-10-30T22:58:00.000-05:00

..... poetry is the pouring of the divine consciousness through the pen of the master poet.

Bijay Raut is a Wall Street Investment Banker and a Silicon Valley dot-com entrepreneur - turned poet, philosopher and a Yogi. He is a graduate of Middlebury College, Eastern Illinois University and Georgetown University. He currently lives in Mountain View, California ..... vedicpath@yahoo.com

Let our hearts take over us,
Like the moonlight takes over the dark night.

I nursed my wound,
With the petals of thy love-rose.

Alas! We departed without bidding goodbye,
And all I am left with,
Is your sweet longing by my side.

The tiresome chambers of cubicles,
And empty hopes of vanity fairs,
For spring has come

I work not just to meet my ends,
Or to fulfill my desires and duties,
But to purify my mind and body,
To reach to the altar of the divine

Say no to agitated mind and worrisome thoughts,
Accept uncertainty,
Do so by non-resistance, acceptance and surrender

(Source: The Heart Of The Mind by Bijay Raut)

I picked this book at my sister's. The actual picking up can be seen towards the end of this video: Aftab Alam, Nepali Congress 3.

Bijay Raut has gone through a remarkable spiritual journey these recent years. He has gone on to dig his eastern roots. This book of poetry is a culmination of sorts of that effort. There is a clear influence of the ancient Hindu scriptures and of Tagore.

I think it is commendable that he has put the effort into this undertaking. In our busy lives, we sometimes do not make the time to smell the roses. Here Raut smells the roses.

The last time I talked to him, he was also very enthused about the Madhesi rights movement. I am very pleased with that as well. We all have to make common cause. Now is the time. Mitti geela hai. The clay is wet. For the first time the Madhesis are about to become part of Nepal. But that process will not be automatic. We will have to work for it. And I hope the Prabasi Madhesi ends up playing a key role. I see positive signs.

I commend Raut's work in the fields of poetry and politics both. He is a pride of the Madhesi community.

Download the book for free