LAHAN, Aug 16: It has come to light that the revised list of Madhesi martyrs also includes the names of an individual who died in a road mishap and another who was accidentally electrocuted.
Bal Krishna Raya and Shiva Shankar Das of Saptari, who were killed during last year's Madhes protests, have also been included in the revised list of martyrs. Raya died in a road mishap while Das was electrocuted, according to Sailendra Kumar Sah, central committee member of the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN).
Asked how these two individuals came to be included as martyrs, Sah said Raya was killed while transporting protestors and Das was electrocuted at an electric fence during protests in front of the District Administrative Office, Rajbiraj.
“As both of them died in the course of agitations for our cause, we decided to include them in the list of martyrs,” argued Sah.
The revised list of martyrs also includes an Indian national who was shot dead during the protests in Birgunj. The proposed names will be declared martyrs when the list is endorsed by a cabinet meeting.
Six bus accident victims identified
The number of Madhesi martyrs started rising after the new government led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal announced that it would provide Rs 1 million compensation each to the families of those killed during the Madhesi agitations. The government has also agreed to bear the medical expenses of 650 individuals who were injured.
Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi and leaders from the agitating Madhes-based political parties have agreed to include 26 more individuals in the list of 'Madhesi martyrs', expanding the list to 68.
“DPM Nidhi has promised to endorse the proposal at the next cabinet meeting,” said Raj Kishwar Yadav, chairman of Madhesi People's Rights Forum (Republican). “The list includes not only the protesters killed during the Madhes agitations, but also security personnel who also died,” he added.
