KATHMANDU: Main opposition Nepali Congress has questioned the reported 13-point agreement said to have been reached by Home Minister Sudhan Gurung in Dhanusha.
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Nepali Congress chief whip Nishkal Rai also offered suggestions to the government regarding the recent religious and communal tension in Sunsari.

Following the unrest in Sunsari, controversy has emerged over a reported 13-point agreement reached by Home Minister Gurung with a group in the Madhes during his visit to the area.
Rai said the government should adopt a long-term approach to restoring peace and should not view peace merely in physical terms.

“Peace is not only about lifting curfews or reopening roads. Peace means removing fear from the minds of citizens, restoring faith in justice, and enabling one community to once again see another community as its neighbor,” he said.

He suggested that the government take special initiatives to reduce public fear and rebuild trust.
Rai also raised concerns about several points of the reported agreement, arguing that issues related to religion, the constitutional character of the state, citizenship, and religious institutions cannot be settled through an agreement reached with only one side.

“An agreement made in the name of maintaining peace should not become the basis for another dissatisfaction,” he said.
He stressed that on such sensitive matters the government must act as a common guardian of all citizens and ensure that no community feels neglected, insecure, or viewed with suspicion when dialogue is held with another group.

At the same time, Rai praised the roles played by the prime minister, the home minister, local governments, security agencies, and religious leaders in preventing the tension in Sunsari from escalating further. He urged all sides to continue maintaining dialogue and restraint in the coming days.