http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6338645.stm The Madheshi group argued that "ruling elites" dominated by people from the mountains of Nepal have denied them fair political representation, and restricted the number of jobs available to them in the police and army. They also want an autonomous region for the southern plains within a federal state. Madheshis make up 33-45% of Nepal's population of 27 million but are vastly under-represented in government and the army, which tend to be dominated by hill-dwellers.