I have never met people so humble and inviting like the Tharus of western Nepal. How can I even begin to extoll them, such an innocent social group, marginalized and historically neglected. I’ve had my share of moments with these hospitable, sprightly people and today I hear their misdoings.  Having murdered eighteen policemen along with a Senior Superintendent of Police and in the meantime, torching one officer alive, it is a black day in our history as diverse and tolerant citizens, we endure one predicament after another. But fellow citizens, before jumping into conclusions, we better comprehend the situation properly and somewhat historically for we are humans and judging our way through the clouds of sympathy and derision is what we regularly do.

1. No, Tharus didn’t kill these on duty police officers whom we have come to adore after the devastating earthquake. A crowd of this certain social group did those killings. One should not generalize when it comes to politically/socially-motivated actions towards demonstrative reactions.

2. The demand for a Tharuhat Province is not irrational because they do have a sizeable population and what is irrational is that the politicians have appeared to deflect from their stratagem of division on the basis of Identity or/and Capability.

3. This indigenous ethnic group is also called ‘Forest People’ because of their historical land holdings inside the dense jungles of Nepal. These aboriginal Terai settlers have been very much isolated, politically, until recently.

4. Nepal Police nor the APF is not well equipped to sustain large-scale demonstrations and especially in the dubious borders of India. Were the culprits really Tharus? People have wondered.

5. Privation and Oppression cannot justify murders but Social Justice in Nepal is a bitch.

6. According to CBS (2011), they are the second largest ethnic group in Nepal. And seriously, no autonomy for them seems irrational and blood boiling in these precarious and critical moments of our nation. So, what Capability what Identity are we talking here.

7. Social movements occur in chain reaction to the prior idiotic or some portentous event. And before declaring Province No. 7 or even before Province declaration, what were the Foursome (Prachanda, Oli, PM and Gacchadhar) smoking on the round table. Seriously, with all their conniving experience in politics and haughty personalities, they couldn’t see it aggravating the reaction.

8. Development hasn’t helped their cause. After declaring the nation, malaria-free during the 50’s, people immigrated to Terai to claim it’s fertile land, which made the innocent, non-chalant Tharus literal slaves to their relatively affluent and sly masters. First time in Nepal we witness a form of concrete development and the Tharus have to pay for it for generations to come. Here, in 21^st century we are coy on the belief that federalism is the way forward and here they are vastly ignored. Welfare based approach, Top-Bottom approach, NGO led approach or even Gynendra led approach, the Tharus have toiled the soils of our indifference and lived life scraping for a mainstream enrollment.

9. Back to Conspiracy Theory: Majority of Nepalese doesn’t believe that the Tharus community could have done it. (Based on observation, not research or polls, I’ve to add). “It’s easy to spark acts of violence when there is so much tension going on in the streets”, Facebook/Twitter warriors have contemplated. But if it is so in reality, the Indian government should be very careful in what they are designing for Nepal. Any upheaval or revolution in Nepalese consciousness directly affects Indian consciousness too. Remember Naxalites and Prabhakarans.

10. Nepal Police will always be revered by this generation of Earthquake survivors. It is sad when such brave and industrious souls of mother Nepal are taken away from Truth, Service and Security.