KATHMANDU, MARCH 1

Province 1 was finally named 'Koshi' Province today.

After the first tenure of the Province Assembly failed to decide on a name for Province 1, the second tenure of the government, on its 62nd day, gave the name Koshi.

The PA had called for proposals as per Rule 58 B 1 of the Province Assembly Regulations 2019 for naming the province in accordance with Article 295 of the constitution.

The proposal of the ruling CPN-UML was approved by more than two-thirds vote when lawmakers of the main opposition Congress, the ruling Maoist Centre and Rastriya Prajatantra Party expressed their support. Speaker Baburam Gautam announced that there were 82 votes in favour of the proposal. A total of four votes were cast in opposition. Four members of NCP (United Socialists) voted against the name.

Eighty-seven MPs were present during voting in the 93-member PA today. Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal (JSP-N) member and Minister Nirmala Limbu and RPP member Savina Bajagai did not vote. Congress member Bhim Parajuli and CPN-M's Rajan Kiranti were among others absent.

Meanwhile, demonstrations were held in front of the Province Assembly demanding that the name Koshi be dumped because they wanted the name to reflect identity of people.

Baburam Gautam, speaker of the PA, had adjourned the PA for two hours for members who wanted to amend the name 'Koshi' proposed by the UML.

Earlier, a resolution was registered in the PA Secretariat to name Province 1, 'Koshi or Kirat- Limbuwan-Sagarmatha Province'.

When the CPN-UML proposal to name the province 'Koshi' was registered, the Nepali Congress initially supported the decision.

Later, amid reports of a dispute in the parliamentary party, it withdrew its support.

Later, the UML and NC came together. The CPN-MC too decided to vote in favour of the name.

The CPN (US) and Janata Samajbadi Party jointly submitted another proposal to the PA Secretariat to name the province 'Kirat-Limbuwan-Sagarmatha Province'. Leaders of the CPN (US) said that as per the promise made in the election, they proposed to keep a name that reflected identity.

Between these two proposals, the proposal registered by UML was discussed.

Speaker Baburam Gautam initially decided to move the 'Koshi' proposal forward for discussion on the basis of voice vote. After majority of PA accepted 'Koshi' as the name of the province for discussion, Speaker Baburam Gautam said the proposal to name the province as Kirat-Limbuwan-Sagarmatha was rejected.

Members of CPN (US) and JSP-N stood against the proposal.

Rajendra Kumar Rai, leader of the CPN (US) Parliamentary Party, mentioned that all the parties promised to name the province on the basis of identity during elections. He also read out in the discussion which point in the manifestos of all the parties had stated this.

While proposing the name of the province as Kirat-Limbuwan-Sagarmatha, CPN (US) leader Rajendra Kumar Rai accused the UML and the NC of forgetting their commitment.

He said the UML had raised the issue of provinces with identity in its election promise during both elections of the Constituent Assembly. Claiming that in the first Constituent Assembly, the UML had proposed that up to 13 provinces could be formed by naming them on the basis of identity and geography, Rai said it was not appropriate for them to propose a name ignoring the issue of identity now.

He alleged that the Nepali Congress had also accepted identity as a basis for naming the province in the past, but now it had reneged on its promise.

'NC said that we should have a name that will erase conflict and find identity,' he said.

JSP-N PA member and Health Minister Nirmala Limbu wept during discussion. She said the issue of identity was suppressed under the guise of majority.

After the naming of Province 1 as Koshi, the district administration of Morang enforced prohibitory order in various parts of Biratnagar until further notice.

Earlier, Chief District Officer of Morang district Tirtharaj Bhattarai had issued a notice announcing that prohibition would come into effect from 3:00pm onwards.

'The prohibitory order has been enforced to avoid any untoward incident during demonstrations or protests as the Province Assembly decides on a new name for Province 1,' reads the notice.

Despite of prohibitory order huge mass of people gathered demanding that the province be named on the basis of identity.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 2, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.