Protesters indulged in stray incidents of arson and vandalised a few vehicles, including a van with Indian registration, for defying their strike call on Sunday in Birgunj.

Brigunj residents’ protests follow the government’s decision to make Janakpur in Dhanusha district as the temporary headquarters of Province 2.

The protesters continued the relay hunger strike for the 32nd consecutive day on Sunday, demanding to designate Birgunj as the provincial capital.

The protests took place in Birgunj on the day the maiden Provincial Assembly (PA) meeting of Province 2 convened in Janakpur.

Besides the hunger strike, the agitators enforced banda in Birgunj on Sunday in a bid to draw attention of provincial assembly regarding their demand. The banda organisers said that the general strike was called to warn the PA members to not accept Janakpur as the provincial headquarters. 

The clampdown disrupted transport while markets, educational institutions and industries remained closed. The strike enforcers hit the street early morning and burnt tyres at major thoroughfares in the city. The protesters vandalised a few vehicles including a van with Indian registration number plate for defying their strike. 

The PA members elected from Parsa and Bara districts, who are now in Janakpur to attend the assembly meeting, said that they would raise the issue in the assembly on 

the decision to shift the provincial capital from Birgunj to Janakpur.

“We are holding talks with the lawmakers representing Parsa, Bara and Rautahat to make Birgunj the capital. A strike is not the way forward, but it is certainly a symbolic protest. Political lobbying is essential while the province assembly will take decision about the permanent capital,” said PA member Rajeshwor Sah, who was elected from Parsa. 

Leaders and activists of various political parties, representative of several professional organisations and residents of Parsa, Bara and Rautahat have been agitating since long demanding capital hood.

They argue Birgunj, which they claim as the epicentre of several protests and movements for the rights of Madhes and Madhesi people, should be made the provincial capital.

Party representatives, students, doctors, engineers, law practitioners and the general public staged the indefinite hunger strike in turn. 

The agitators said the meeting of the protest coordination committee scheduled Monday would decide further protest programmes. 

Doti residents sit-in protest continues

DOTI: Residents of Doti district continued their sit-in in front of the regional administration office and the district administration office on Sunday, demanding to make Dipayal, the district headquarters of Doti, as the capital of Province 7. 

At a time when the province assembly meeting was going on in Dhangadhi of Kailali district, a huge number of residents gathered in the district headquarters urging the assembly not to ignore the hill districts.

“We are still hopeful. The historic assembly meeting will address our concerns,” said Raghu Kathayat who staged sit-in in Dipayal.