Nepalgunj, August 18

The agitation seeking a separate Karnali province entered the tenth day in Jumla today. To sleep as darkness falls and to walk into the street for protest as dawn appears has become daily routine for locals in Khalanga.

The agitation continues even as the curfew remains in place in Khalanga. Jumla folks are one in their demand to make Karnali a separate state in the new federal set-up.

The presence of locals in the agitation for Karnali province is massive. LP Devkota from Khalanga said, “Jumla locals have their meal in haste early in the morning to participate in the agitation.”

Agitators continued their protest defying the curfew today as well. Devkota said that there was no sign of the agitation ceasing. “The protest is on. No one knows where and how it will end,” Devkota added.

Laxman Shahi, who is leading the youths in the protest, said the agitation would not end without gaining its target. Shahi warned that they would not end their agitation as Jumla folks had already braved police bullets. All these signal that the agitation might become more violent in the days ahead. Shahi remarked that no power could suppress their protest.

Though Jumla resonates with a lot of outcry during daytime, the district goes silent as night falls. The bandh has already made life hard. Surprisingly, public participation in the agitation is going up by the day.

Participation of Jumla folks for Karnali state is higher than that of the Second People’s Movement at the same place. People are showing up at the protest spontaneously. Shahi said the parties and the government had committed a mistake. “We are ready to shed any amount blood for Karnali state. We are not going to backtrack come hell or high water,” Shahi warned.

Jumla headquarters Khalanga remained tense today as well. Defying the curfew clamped by the DAO, locals staged rallies in Khalanga. Five persons were injured when demonstrators clashed with police at Chhinagaun, Ratansanghu, Mahatgaun, among others. Police had fired more than half-a-dozen of tear gas shells to calm down the situation.

Meanwhile, the bandh continued today in Surkhet too demanding an intact mid-west.