Bardiya: Chet Narayan Acharya, Chief Minister of Lumbini Province, has expressed serious concern that the federal government’s current approach is creating conditions that could displace poor and vulnerable citizens.

Speaking at an interaction programme held in Madhuwan Municipality on Tuesday with representatives of various organisations and political parties, Acharya accused the federal government of using its parliamentary majority against marginalised citizens. He warned that such tendencies would ultimately benefit no one.

“From now itself, everyone must think seriously and act responsibly. At the very least, people should be able to distinguish who is right and who is wrong before moving forward,” he said.

Acharya stated that efforts were previously underway to resolve the problems of landless squatters, with some already receiving land ownership certificates while others were in the process of obtaining them. However, he claimed those initiatives had now been halted under the pretext of “not proceeding.”

He further said political parties had earlier warned about the possibility of such a situation emerging in the country, adding that the government had weakened democratic movements instead of addressing people’s concerns.

The chief minister alleged that the first target of the government’s actions had been landless squatters and unmanaged settlers. Rather than seriously resolving issues related to unplanned settlements, he said, the state had begun pushing people toward homelessness.

Acharya also urged the federal government not to act arbitrarily and called for greater sensitivity in addressing the problems faced by landless people, squatters and unmanaged settlers.