As we write this, incidents of protests and dissents against Saturday night's deal on province demarcation from several parts of Mid-western and Central Tarai districts are being reported. Jumla is tensed up with pro-undivided Karnali demonstrators. They vandalized police vehicles, padlocked the District Administration Office, and pelted stones at the security personnel. Failing to control the mob, the police had to call Nepal Army to contain the situation. Protests went violent in Surkhet—police resorted to firing and the District Administration Office imposed curfew in Birendranagar, the district headquarters. One protestor has died. Campaigners of 'undivided' Far-west have withdrawn indefinite strikes but Tharu community has upped the ante. Baglung witnessed protests throughout Sunday. We fear that these protests might escalate and spiral out of control. The government, as well as parties to Saturday's deal, must act with extreme caution so as not to let violence go out of control. While it is extremely necessary for the government to exercise restraint, it will also be vital for the parties to make certain issues clear and communicate it to the agitating locals at the earliest.We support Saturday's deal because it marks a departure from deadlock in constitution and lays a ground for promulgation of constitution in the next few weeks. As we have maintained in this space, there are flaws in the province demarcation— state six, for example, looks disproportionately big compared to other states and split of Baglung district seems unjustified. But realistically speaking, dissatisfaction was bound to flare up whichever way provinces were demarcated. If Kailali and Kanchanpur were included into Madhesh or Tharu province, hill settlers would protest. Now that they have been incorporated into Far-west, Tharu community has come out in protest. Province demarcation, as such, is an extremely complicated and sensitive issue for it has direct relation with places where people have been living since time immemorial and with which they have developed strong emotional attachment. Letting go of one's district to another province, apparently, is like letting go of one's home to the strangers. This is how agitating locals seem to have understood demarcation. But this is precisely why political leadership must step in to communicate the reality and clear people's doubts, most of them unfounded.
By design or default, demarcation has been understood as division and split. It is not so. Truly, state demarcation is only an act of redrawing new administrative units and boundaries out of existing map. It seems the agitating locals have misunderstood it as an act of dividing Nepal into separate countries. Political parties need to communicate to the agitating locals and clear misconceptions, while at the same time heeding their genuine concerns. Reports say some responsible leaders from major parties are also fuelling protests, directly or indirectly. This must be stopped. Agitating locals should realize that the proposed six-province model is not final. Top leaders have already assured boundaries will be revised and readjusted based on feedback from local representatives. Federal Commission mandated to resolve province disputes is yet to be formed. Protests and mayhem at this hour could embolden the elements which are bent on reversing all gains of various movements of the past. After more than seven years of debate and discussions, the country looks closer than ever before to bringing out a constitution. Attempts to reverse this course deserve condemnation from all.
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