As Nepal hurtles toward its March 5 elections, communal strife has gripped Rautahat’s Gaur, culminating in a curfew after savage confrontations between Hindus and Muslims. Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, a key NCP figure, has stepped in with an urgent call for de-escalation.
The trigger in Gaur’s Ward 6 Sapguda was a wedding procession gone awry – a dispute morphing into stone attacks, vandalism, and a blazing vehicle. Fresh off a short-lived six-point truce, Saturday’s 9 AM resurgence necessitated the afternoon lockdown.
Nepal, eyeing Rautahat-1 candidacy and a veteran local MP, voiced alarm in his statement. ‘Communal clashes are intolerable,’ he warned. ‘Adopt tolerance; revere each other’s faiths and festivals. Hindus and Muslims thrive together – solve via talks.’ He implored authorities to shield citizens robustly.
Engaging the Home Minister, Nepal pushes for swift normalcy. The curfew envelops Gaur Customs to Mudbalwa Gate (east), Lalkaiya embankment (west), and Bam Canal (north). Tri-forces – Army, Police, Armed Police – enforce order, with 6:30-8:30 AM exemptions for essentials.
District head Dinesh Sagar Bhusal reported, ‘Stabilizing fast; indefinite hold till clear.’ Public calm pleas intensify amid sealed borders.
This pre-poll flare-up in a sensitive frontier exposes deep-seated divides. Ex-PM Nepal’s mediation underscores leadership’s role in nurturing harmony, essential for electoral integrity and Nepal’s pluralistic ethos.
