Constitution Day remains a day of mourning in Madhesh
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In 2015, people in the Madhesh region of Nepal experienced state violence during protests surrounding the country’s new constitution, and many continue to view Constitution Day as a “Black Day.”
Anjali Sah recounts her experience in Sarlahi, where she witnessed killings and felt paralyzed by fear as security forces responded to demonstrations.
She connects this trauma to more recent protests, noting the stark contrast in how the media and public validate those events compared to earlier movements for marginalized communities like the Madheshi and Tharuhat. Human Rights Watch documented over 50 deaths in the Terai region during 2015, including children killed by security forces who reportedly used ethnic slurs while firing on civilians.
Prime Minister KP Oli dismissed the deaths as insignificant, comparing the loss of life to a few fallen mangoes, and later mocked a peaceful human chain formed by protesters. Rather than address the grievances of the Madheshi people, the government divided the southern plains into five separate provinces, diluting their political representation.
The government also failed to adjust election districts to reflect population density, and imposed strict language policies that disadvantaged non-Nepali speakers in accessing citizenship, civil service jobs, and education. Despite multiple agreements made between the state and Madheshi groups, these promises have not been fulfilled, and the region continues to feel marginalized.
