Annapurna Post Senior Correspondent Rajkaran Mahato was walking along the roadside when a bus driver and conductor verbally abused him, employing language that disrupts communal harmony, and attempted to physically assault him. Mahato has lodged a formal complaint against them with the Baneshwar police circle.
On Sunday, around 12:00 noon, the conductor and driver of a ‘Sundarimai Yatayat’ bus (Ba 2 Kha 4534) stopped on the side of the road in Tinkune, Kathmandu. They treated Mahato disrespectfully, referring to him as ‘bhaiya’ and using obscene language. When Mahato questioned the mistreatment, both bus personnel attempted to physically harm him.
“This incident is not an isolated occurrence for me. All Madhesis have been subjected to such insults against our ethnic identity. The unfortunate reality of being demeaned with terms like ‘bhaiya,’ ‘Bihari,’ and ‘Marsiya,’ relegating us to second-class citizens based on our attire, appearance, and speech, has sadly become commonplace,” Mahato remarked.
He has urgently appealed for the immediate arrest of the culprits and their subsequent prosecution.
Various organizations, including the Madhesi Commission, Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), and Madhesi Journalist Society Nepal, have called upon the relevant authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure justice for Mahato.
