UDMF burns President Bhandari’s effigy, announces to obstruct her Janakpur visit

Janaki Temple, Janakpurdham

JANAKPURDHAM:

Cadres of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) burned an effigy of President Bidya Devi Bhandari here in Janakpurdham on Tuesday.

President Bhandari is scheduled to visit Janakpur to take part in the iconic Rama-Janaki Vivaha Utsav on Wednesday.

The agitating Madhesi parties and different groups staged a rally carrying the President’s effigy from Janak Chok and burned it at the funeral site in Shmashan Ghat after making a round of the ancient town of Janakpurdham.

Janaki, more popular with the name Seeta in legends, was born in Janakpurdham, and married to Rama, the prince of Ayoddhya, according to Ramayana. Their marriage anniversary is commemorated carrying out different rituals in Nepal and India on Vivaha Panchami – the fifth day of waxing moon in the month of Mansir (November-December).

President Bhandari is scheduled to arrive here in Janakpurdham boarding a helicopter and take part in different rituals, according to Kali Prasad Parajuli, the Chief District Officer.
All security arrangements have been made for the Head of the State’s visit, he informed.

It has been learned that the Chief of the Army Staff of Nepal Army, General Rabindra Chhetri, and the Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae will accompany the President.

The local administration has urged the agitating parties not create any obstacle in the President’s visit.

A local leader, however, stated that the parties would protest, saying they told the government officials in the meeting of the local security committee to cancel her visit.

“We symbolically protested the intended visit by burning the President’s effigy,” Dharmendra Saha, the coordinator of United Youth Struggle Committee, said.

The UDMF Dhanusha district chapter decided to obstruct the President’s visit tomorrow, according to leader Shesh Narayan Yadav said. He that the agitating parties, however, would not obstruct CoAS Chhetri and Ambassador