Kathmandu, Jan. 6 -- After a nearly two-week protest in freezing Kathmandu, the government, on Friday, finally signed a five-point agreement with sugarcane farmers, promising to clear all dues by next month.

Around a hundred farmers from Siraha had marched to Kathmandu after years of unpaid dues by sugar mill owners. Though this failure to pay farmers has been continuing for years, this protest was unprecedented. The public, and a section of politicians, were moved by the plight of farmers, dressed poorly for the cold weather, protesting for their rightful dues.

But this protest showcases how the state, over the years, has failed to secure the social and economic rights of citizens, especially the underprivileged and those from the marg...