The Nepal Samajbadi Party led by Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has expressed solidarity with the pro-identity groups that have been staging demonstrations against the naming of Province 1 as ‘Koshi’.
Endorsing the different proposals by the third full meeting of central committee, the party said,” We express solidarity with the agitating groups and hold views that the province should be renamed on the basis of identity.”
The NSP, in an 11-point proposal made public following the third full meeting of the party on June 8-9, has passed various decisions including its solidarity with the pro-identity groups.
Earlier, CPN (Maoist Center) had admitted that there was a mistake in adopting Koshi as the name of Province 1.
In an office-bearers’ meeting held at the party central party office in Paris Danda on April 5, Chairman Prachanda said, “We are in favor of identity in renaming Province 1. We could not take a stand while deciding on the name Koshi."
He said that even now the agenda of identity held by the Maoist Center will not go down. "What I want to convince you is that our party will not back off from the issue of identity even now", he said.
Of the 93-member Province Assembly, on March 1, the name of Province 1 was changed to Koshi Province, after 82 lawmakers cast their votes in favor of the motion while four others voted against it.
Similarly, Janata Samajbadi Party has also expressed solidarity with the movement of renaming Koshi Province.
No sooner the Province 1 adopted 'Koshi' as the name for Province 1, than pro-identity groups including Kirat Yakthung Chumlung, Kirat Rai Yayokkha, Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, Sherpa Association of Nepal and Kirat Dharma Sahitya Tatha Utthan Sangh have been staging demonstrations demanding that the Koshi Province be renamed.
The demonstration further intensified after Padam Limbu alias Lajehang, who sustained critical injuries during a protest, passed away in the course of treatment.
