People in Dhangadhi, the temporary capital of Province 7, enforced a banda in the town on Thursday to protest the proposal of shifting the provincial capital to Godawari.

Transportation service, shops and educational institutions remained closed due to the banda that was led by the local leaders of Nepali Congress (NC). Protesters took to the street from early morning, demanding that Dhangadhi should remain the provincial capital.

A five-member special committee led by Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Chief Whip Tara Lama Tamang had submitted its report to the provincial assembly meeting on Tuesday, proposing ‘Sudurpashchim’ as the name of Province 7 and Godawari as its capital.

 The NC has objected to the fact that the proposed provincial capital will be made by destroying a forest area west of the Dhangadhi-Dadeldhura road section in Godawari Municipality-4, Kailali. The proposed place is about 20km from Dhangadhi.

“We will not accept the proposal to shift the provincial capital from Dhangadhi to a forest area at the foothills of Chure range,” said NC activist Hari Regmi.

The NC lawmakers also protested against the proposal in the provincial assembly on Wednesday. They registered a separate proposal with ‘Sudurpashchim’ as province name and Dhangadhi as province capital.

Dhangadhi Mayor Nrip Bahadur Bada had also attended a protest rally outside the Province Assembly on Wednesday.

Addressing the rally, Mayor Bada had told the province assembly members to leave town within 24-hours if the provincial capital is shifted from Dhangadhi.

Since his remarks were criticised by various quarters, Mayor Bada issued a statement on Thursday and apologised for his remarks that he said were spurred by rage.

Eighteen NCP lawmakers have lodged a complaint against Mayor Bada at the District Administration Office, demanding action against him as per the Criminal Code Act.

A voting is likely to be conducted on Friday on the proposal tabled by the special parliament committee.

According to the constitutional provision, the provincial assembly has the authority to name and designate the provincial capital by a two-thirds majority. The NCP has the required numerical strength in the assembly.