Shutdown in Pyuthan, Arghakhanchi against split of hill districts from Province 5

Published On: November 30, 2016 11:52 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

PYUTHAN, Nov 30: Locals have enforced a shutdown in the district on Wednesday against the constitution amendment bill registered by the government to take all the hill districts out from Province 5.

They are protesting at the major thoroughfares in the district headquarters by holding protest assemblies and burning tires.

Transportation has come to a complete halt and all the shops and educational institutions have remained shuttered today.

Protests have been staged in the district since a week after the government made preparation for the amendment bill to take out the district from the province.

Different political parties too have expressed their solidarity with the protest.

Normal life in Arghakhanchi affected due to shutdown

Meanwhile according to RSS, an indefinite district-wide general strike has been called in Arghakhanchi district in protest against the government's registration of the constitution amendment bill in parliament, with changes to the province borders.

Various organizations based in the district called for the district-wide shutdown today under the leadership of the Arghakhanchi District Chamber of Commerce and Industry. As per the provision in the constitution amendment bill, Arghakhanchi District has been split and part of it placed under Province 4. Before this, the district was placed under Province 5.

The organizations and local political parties are not happy with this decision, District Chamber of Commerce president Krishna Prasad Shrestha said.

All the educational institutions, factories, market and transport are closed since the morning today. College students could be seen returning home after the halt in classes.

CPN-UML district president Chet Narayan Acharya said all the political parties in the district have supported the general strike as the splitting of the district is a matter of concern for all.

Although the banda organizers are not forcing the closure, the businessmen and transport entrepreneurs are voluntarily supporting it, he said.