The residents of Rukumkot in East Rukum have been started protest after the Cabinet on Thursday decided to shift the district headquarters to Golkhara in Puthauttarganga Rural Municipality-12. The agitated protesters have shut down markets and padlocked government offices, including the District Administration Office, for the past two days. 

In the past, the government had declared Rukumkot as the temporary district headquarters of Rukum (East). People have started demonstrations in Rukmukot and blocked road networks. They picketed the government offices and burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Friday. Bhubaneshwor Upadhaya, a local man of Sisne Rural Municipality, said that the government has done injustice to them. “The Deuba government has stirred an unnecessary dispute in the district,” he blamed. 

Tarak Bahadur Shah, 73, of Sisne added that they had long been demanding the 

government make Rukumkot the district headquarters. “Rukumkot has all the infrastructure to set up government offices,” he said. 

Chief District Officer Bhupendra Sapkota said the vehicular movement had come to a halt in Rukumkot after the government decision. “The demonstrators have been picketing the DAO from Thursday evening,” said CDO Sapkota, adding that the Home Ministry has directed to adopt necessary security alertness due to the situation. Except for the Distrist Court, all the other government offices have been padlocked here,” said CDO Sapkota.

On the other hand, people living in Golkahara are delighted at the government announcement to make their area the district headquarters. 

Tejendra Budha Magar, a local, said Golkhara is a convenient location for all people in the district. “It’s a great achievement for us,” he said. Kesharman Roka, former lawmaker and Nepali Congress leader, said people living in eastern part of Rukum are happy with Cabinet’s decision. “The temporary district headquarters was inconvenient location for all. We can take locals’ houses on rent to set up offices in Golkahara,” he said. 

Locals stage protest for administrative centre in Achham 

ACHHAM: Locals of Mujabagar in Rama Roshan Rural Municipality, Achham has been in protest since Thursday after the village assembly voted to make Gairikhet the administrative centre of the rural municipality. Of the total 35 votes, 20 votes were cast in favour of Gairikhet. However, rejecting the election result, people of Mujabagar have padlocked the rural municipal office. They have also shut down market and obstructed vehicular movement from Thursday in protest. (PR)

Stir continues in Birgunj

PARSA: Local people took out a protest rally in Birgunj on Saturday, demanding that Birgunj be made the provincial capital of Province 2. The Birgunj Struggle Committee that comprises leaders of various political parties in Parsa and Bara districts took out the rally which moved around the city before converging into an assembly. Addressing the assembly, the leaders warned that the lawmakers elected to the provincial assembly lawmakers would be refused entry to Birgunj if they did not declare the city the province capital. The protesters also continued their relay hunger strike for the 24th consecutive day on Saturday. (PR)