Government accords top priority to resolving land-related problems: Minister Shrestha

Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Ranjeeta Shrestha, has said that the government has been working in a systematic manner to resolve land-related problems.

The government is carrying out works to address the problems of the citizens and unity is always required for development endeavours, she said while addressing a program organized here to unveil the statue of the late Tek Bahadur Saud. The 18-months-old Saud was killed in the Tikapur protest on 24 August 2015.

Minister Shrestha opined that Tikapur is calm, no matter whatever negative spin is given to the Tikapur incident. "The incident that took place in Tikapur in 2015 was highly sad and distressing. It is highly condemnable. Tikapur, which is peaceful, is being projected as volatile due to the people who are doing politics over the same incident. There is no disturbance in Tikapur, it is peaceful," she said about the present status of the place in Sudurpaschim province.

Stating that the Tikapur incident took place amidst political upheaval, Minister Shrestha urged all to present themselves in positive manner for strengthening social goodwill in Tikapur area. She stressed the need of all sides moving ahead hand-in-hand with common plan for the development and prosperity.

"Movements were waged at different periods in the past for establishing one's rights and identity. All should come together and institutionalize the achievements of these movements. Discord does not take the society towards prosperity. Only unity and harmony can make the society peaceful and prosperous," she added.

The Minister reminded that our common goal is to build a prosperous and progressive society no matter we might subscribe to different ideologies.

Seven security personnel and a minor were killed when the movement waged by the Tharuhat-Tharuwan Struggle Committee calling for a separate province for the indigenous Tharu community took a violent turn on 24 August 2015 in the aftermath of the promulgation of the Constitution of Nepal.

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