More than one thousand people from Taksera VDC of Rukum descended on the street of Musikot, the district headquarters, on Tuesday demanding that the VDC should be made the centre of Puthauttarganga Village Council while delineating the local administrative zones. 

The report of the Local Level Restructuring Commission (LLRC) has proposed Kol VDC as the administrative centre of Puthauttarganga Village Council against the demand of Taksera inhabitants.

The protesters picketed the buildings of District Administration Office and 

the District Development Committee throughout the day to press their demand. 

Juddha Budha Magar, one of the leaders of the protest, said they were ready to camp out at the district headquarters for as long as it takes to see their demand addressed. 

“We have no intention of returning home without having our demand met. Our protest is only going to get stronger this time,” he said.

The agitated Taksera locals plan to enforce a transport shutdown in Rukum on Tuesday. Back home, they have banned entry to politicians and government officials.

Magar claimed that Taksera VDC meets all the criteria that is required to become the administrative centre of a village council.

“The commission has denied Taksera the status that it deserves, that we have been struggling for,” he said. 

Local Development Officer Narendra Kumar Rana, also the coordinator of Local Level Restructuring Technical Assistant Committee, said the demand of Taksera villagers cannot be addressed at the district level since the LLRC has already finalised its report and submitted it to the government.

“The only thing we could do from our side is to convey their demand to the commission and the concerned ministry,” he said.