The Save Lumbini Campaign has called for the annulment of Deepak Shrestha’s recent appointment as member-secretary of the Lumbini Development Trust, citing concerns over the exclusion of local stakeholders and internal competition rules.

The campaign submitted a memorandum to the fund’s vice-chairman, Lharkyal Lama, on Sunday, urging the government to reconsider the decision to protect the historical and cultural integrity of Lumbini.

Shrestha, an engineer from Gorkha, was appointed to the post last week. The campaign, which has long advocated for opportunities for locals to hold the member-secretary position, criticised the move as bypassing established selection procedures.

Rambikash Chaudhary, a campaign leader, said local communities, intellectuals, and campaign representatives were not consulted. “We demand that a qualified person who understands Lumbini’s historical, archaeological, and cultural significance be appointed as member-secretary,” he said, warning that continued neglect could trigger public protests.

The campaign stressed that appointing an outsider unfamiliar with Lumbini’s local context undermines community sentiment and could affect efforts to preserve the UNESCO World Heritage site.