Janakpurdham, Sept 19

Expressing dissatisfaction with the constitution, Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal effected a half-an-hour blackout to mark Constitution Day as Black Day in Janakpur this evening.

RJP-N ensured that power was switched off from 7:15pm to 7:45pm across Janakpur of Dhanusha, plunging even the ministries and residences of ministers and secretaries into darkness.

Lights were switched off in Janakpur cigarette factory, which houses ministers’ residences and office of the governor, after 7:00pm.

Earlier, a protest rally was organised against the constitution in Janakpur, in the presence of Province 2 Minister of Social Development Nawal Kishor Sah.

The province government did not organise any formal programme on the occasion of Constitution Day. Province 2 Finance Minister Bijay Yadav said they were not participating in  celebrations as the rights of Madhesis and ethnic communities were not guaranteed. “Madhesi people cannot own the constitution until the constitution is amended,” he added.

Minister of Law and Internal Affairs Gyanendra Yadav said time had not come to celebrate Constitution Day.

Officials at the Province Secretariat, however, marked Constitution Day by planting trees.

Meanwhile, Free Madhes Alliance Coordinator CK Raut participated in a programme organised at Barhabigha of Janakpur and left the venue safely. Police, however, arrested 118 cadres and leaders of the alliance.

Raut had planned to hold the programme at Barhabigha. Though police prevented cadres of the alliance in different places of Janakpur, its cadres and supporters took out a protest rally and conducted a mass meeting in Barhabigha. It is learnt that Raut participated in the mass meeting.