RAUTAHAT, July 16: Home Minister Sudan Gurung's three-day effort to negotiate with victims of loan sharking in Bara has ended without an agreement, with both sides now set to continue talks in Kathmandu.
The Farmers–Workers Movement Against Loan Sharking formed a six-member negotiation team on Thursday to hold formal talks with the government. The committee, led by movement coordinator Awadhesh Kushwaha, includes Manoj Kumar Paswan, Rijan Rana Magar, Laxmi Ghimire, Kiran Pariyar and Nirga Naveen, chair of the Joint People's Rights Front.
According to negotiation team member Naveen, the government is also preparing to form its own dialogue team. Although the government has expressed verbal support for the victims' six-point demands, protesters insist they will not end their movement without a written and legally binding agreement.
"We will remain in Nijgadh until the talks are concluded. Our team will participate in negotiations at the venue designated by the government," Naveen said. "We need a written and legally enforceable agreement, not just verbal assurances."
The victims' justice march from Janakpur to Kathmandu has remained halted in Nijgadh for the past three days for rnegotiations. Protesters have been staying at the Nijgadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry hall.
Talks between govt and loan shark victims obstructed as police...
Four rounds of talks have been held with Home Minister Gurung since Tuesday, but no agreement has been reached on a written draft of the proposed six-point deal.
Laxmi Ghimire, one of the campaigners, said the main sticking point is the protesters' demand that the government formally sign the agreed draft and ensure its legal implementation.
"Our clear demand is that the draft already accepted by the Home Minister be signed in its original form and implemented with legal guarantees," she said.
The protesters' demands include nullifying fraudulent loan agreements and documents, enacting a special law against loan sharking, establishing a special judicial mechanism, and implementing recommendations made by previous commissions.
Although the Cabinet has already decided to implement recommendations made by earlier commissions on loan sharking, protesters say the decision falls short without a clear implementation plan and written commitment.
They have warned that if no written agreement is reached, they will resume their march to Kathmandu and intensify the protest.
Home minister attends other engagements as talks stall
Protesters also criticized Gurung for spending much of Wednesday attending other official engagements instead of continuing negotiations.
The home minister visited the Bhatha religious site in northern Parsa, met youth groups from Bara and Parsa, inspected Parsa Wildlife Reserve, and toured rivers and streams affected by industrial pollution before joining the talks in Nijgadh later that evening.
Despite the late-night meeting, negotiations again ended without agreement over the government's written commitment to the six-point demands.
As of Thursday afternoon, no new round of talks had taken place, according to the protesters.
