The Kirat-Limbuwan Sangharsh Committee staged protests in Biratnagar on Friday against the endorsement of the province’s new name.

The protestors had staged demonstrations near the provincial assembly hall after they were refused further movement by the police.

The dissatisfied committee members had obstructed the Koshi Highway.

In a similar incident, protests were staged in Khotang on Thursday against the naming of the province.

The Kirat Rai Yayokkha committee had called for road blockades to protest against the decision taken by the provincial assembly on Wednesday to adopt “Koshi Province” as the province’s new name, following which traffic was disrupted for an hour.

“Naming the province Koshi Province denies the demands of those in favour of an identity-based name,” said Yugsan Kirati, president of the Kirat Rai Yaokkha’s Khotang chapter.

A memorandum has been submitted to the Province Chief Minister Hikmat Karki through Chief District Office Surya Sedai, Kirati added. “The memorandum demands rejection of the newly adopted name, and endorses ‘Kirat Province’ as a suitable name since it is based on our ethnic identity.”

Koshi Province adopted a new name on Wednesday after much deliberation. The new name proposed by the CPN-UML was endorsed by an overwhelming majority.

Besides the UML, assembly members from the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Maoist Centre), and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) had voted in the proposal’s favour.

Eighty-six members barring the Speaker participated in the voting in the 93-strong assembly, with 82 members endorsing the name and four members from the CPN (Unified Socialist) voting in opposition. Six members were absent.