One of the sitting ministers of Madhesi origin has threatened even to go up to the extent of dividing the country if the Madhesi demand for a separate state for Madhesi population was not fulfilled by the State. Mr. Rajendra Mahato who is currently minister for Commerce and Trade/Supplies and is also the chairman of Nepal Sadvawana Party-Mahato made these threat loaded remarks in Janakpur, Dhanusa District, April 8, 2010. He was addressing a mass meet held at the Ram Janki Temple premise in Janakpur. Mr. Mahato is currently leading a Mechi-Mahakali Swabhiman Yatra of his party. However, pretty irritated by two days Tarai-Madhesh closure called by another Madhesh Centric Party, the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum led by Upendra Yadav, said Minister Mahato that “some Madhesi parties have become the agents of Pahadiya leaders and the Unified Maoists’ Party” He was indirectly pointing figures at the party led by former Maoists’ Leader Upendra Yadav- MJF. The MJF cadres earlier in the morning had hoisted black flags at Minister Mahato and his Swabhiman Yatra team in Janakpur. They also vandalized some vehicles with Indian registration numbers used for the Yatra. “We will declare a separate country if the government rejects our demands for Madhesh province for entire Tarai plains of Nepal”, Minister Mahato threatened. “In order to save the country from disintegration, we must adopt Federal set-up”, said the minister.