By Our Reporter
The people in Kailalai are up in arms against the decision of the provincial government to make Godavari as the permanent capital of Sudur Paschim Province.
They have called an infinite general strike against the decision.
The provincial government decided Godavari as the capital of Sudur Paschim Pradesh (previously Province No. 7).
But the parliamentary committee’s proposal to designate Godawari in Kailali as capital of Province sparked protests in the region, with local people of Dhangadhi, the temporary provincial capital, taking to the streets.
Lawmakers also raised questions over the proposal to shift the capital at a provincial assembly meeting on Wednesday.
The inhabitants of Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City, Kailali, staged demonstrations in protest of the proposal of shifting the provincial capital from Dhangadhi to Teghari in Godawari Municipality-4. Mayor Nripa Bahadur Bada and Nepali Congress (NC) activists led the demonstrations. The protesters burnt tyres and chanted slogans against Chief Minister Trilochan Bhatta and the ruling NCP. They warned of continued protests unless the committee withdraws its proposal of shifting the capital.
The agitators claimed that the proposal to shift the capital just a few kilometres from Dhangadhi was a political whim.
They said Godavari lies in forest areas and it was unwise to make a provincial capital by clearing jungles.
Life came to a grinding halt due to the strike. The vehicles remained off the road and the industries, market places remained shut.
They accused the provincial government of taking the decision in the influence of the jungle and land mafias. According to them, several trees should be cleared to develop Godavari as provincial capital and the timber smugglers will benefit from that.
When Dhangadhi people protested against the decisions to shift the provincial capital to Godavari, people in Doti also took to the street demanding that Doti, the headquarters of the erstwhile Far-Western Development Region be made the capital city of the province.
Sudur Paschim is the third province to name the provinvce and its capital after Karnali and Gandaki provinces.
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