KATHMANDU, AUGUST 26

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba issued a press release urging the public to maintain social, religious and political cordiality in Dharan, Sunsari, where a prohibitory order has been issued by the District Administration Office. Ethnic organisations have been protesting against the naming of Koshi Province, demanding that the nomenclature should reflect the ethnic identity of the province.

The NC is worried over the potential risk of recent conflict in Dharan that can spoil religious, cultural and social unity and cordiality, the ruling party stated in its press release. The party urged the public to maintain social, religious and political cordiality.

The NC said that Nepali citizens from different ethnic grounds, faiths and culture have maintained communal harmony and joined hands for nation building. The party said that the constitution of Nepal has given all castes and communities the right to observe their faiths and cultures without infringing upon the religious and cultural rights of other castes and communities.

The NC said any attempt to ignite communal tension won't be in anybody's interests. The party said that attempts to foment religious, communal and political tension would only aid those seen and unseen elements that wanted to fish in troubled waters.

Keeping in mind the sensitivity of this matter, the Nepali Congress appeals to all political parties, local representatives, religious organisations and social leaders to unite and maintain communal mutual unity and harmony, the NC stated in its release.

Meanwhile, NC leader Shekhar Koirala said that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's statement that he would back the efforts to rename Koshi Province on the basis of ethnic identity was the reason for communal tension in Dharan. Koirala said this at a public programme organised in his hometown Biratnagar. He said the situation in Dharan would affect the situation in all parts of the country.

Yesterday, the Sunsari District Administration Office issued a prohibitory order keeping in mind the religious, cultural sensitivity in Dharan and the outbreak of dengue disease. Sunsari CDO Humkala Pandey told the THT that some religious organisations from around Dharan wanted to converge in Dharan, but the police prevented them from gathering in the city.

DAO Sunsari issued the prohibitory order also to prevent ethnic organisations from carrying out rallies in the city. They are demanding that they should be allowed to enjoy all their cultural rights which many believe could hurt Hindu sentiments.

Meanwhile, Chair of Rastriya Swatantra Party Rabi Lamichhane also said in Kathmandu that those people that were trying to foment communal tension in Dharan should be boycotted.

He said some people were trying to do this in Dharan to weaken the current investigation launched into corruption and land grab cases.

He urged the public not to infringe upon other communities' religious and cultural rights. He said poverty, unemployment and illiteracy were the main enemy of the Nepalis, and all people should fight against these problems.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 27, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.