BARDIYA: The Tharu Kalyankarini Sabha (Tharu Welfare Assembly) Struggle Committee has announced an indefinite district-wide shut down from today in Bardiya District.

The Sabha called the shutdown calling for declaring the area spreading from Kanchanpur in the west to Chitwan in the east as the Tharuhat Autonomous Province. This region is predominantly settled by the indigenous Tharu people.

Transport services in the district have come to a complete halt due to the shutdown. Similarly, main business centres in the district like Rajapur, Bhurigaon, Taratal, Mainapokhar, Bansgadhi including the district headquarters Gulariya are closed. Educational institutions and factories are also closed.

The struggle committee has announced public mobilisation and holding of corner meet in all the four electoral constituencies of the district on August 12 and a mass meeting in the district headquarters on August 13.

In a press release distributed to the media at a news conference here today that the Tharu community has serious reservations on the ruling parties reaching a deal on the federal setup against the public verdict. The press release further stated that it would not be acceptable to the Tharu community if the Tharu land was split and merged with other provinces.

Spokesman of the Struggle Committee Devman Chaudhari said they would hold peaceful protest but would be compelled to change its modus operandi if there was any kind of interception in it.