Proposal to Name Nepal's Province 1 as "Koshi Pradesh" is Passed
The Provincial Assembly Secretariat of Nepal recently passed a resolution to name Province 1 as "Koshi Pradesh" by a two-thirds majority. The proposal was put forward by CPN (UML) MP Ram Bahadur Magar and supported by UML MPs Bidur Linthep and Niran Rai. The opposition Congress party withdrew its support after the CPN-Maoist Center refused to propose a name, and UML MP Vidur Linthep supported the proposal instead.
The Voting and the Absentees
82 votes were cast in favor of the name "Koshi Pradesh," with only four votes against it. Four MPs were absent from the meeting, including Health Minister of the State Government and Member of Parliament of the Janata Samajwadi Party Nirmala Limbu and Member of Parliament of RPP Sarita Bajgai, who arrived late and were not allowed to enter the State Assembly.
Other Proposals
The CPN (Unified Samajwadi Party) and Janata Samajwadi Party had registered a separate joint proposal to name Province 1 as "Limbuwan-Kirat-Sagarmatha Province." However, this proposal became inactive after the majority voted in favor of the proposal of CPN (UML) MP Magar.
The Reasoning behind the Proposal
While presenting the proposal for naming the province, Provincial Assembly member Ram Bahadur Magar said that since Province 1 has different castes, languages, religions, cultures, and civilizations, it would be appropriate to name it as "Koshi Pradesh" while searching for a common name that can address the sentiments of all. He said that since there are Kirat, Limbuwan, and Koch civilizations in Province 1, he proposed to name the province as "Koshi" since the development of all civilizations is around the river Koshi.
The Discussion on the Proposal
During the discussion on the proposal named "Koshi Pradesh," Chief Whip of CPN (UML) Revathiraman Bhandari said that they are not against recognition. He said that since the Koshi civilization addresses the religion and culture of all the ethnic groups living in this region, it would be appropriate to name Koshi Pradesh as a common identity. Speaking on behalf of the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party, Provincial Assembly member Bhupendra Rai said that the Nepali Congress has never carried out any agitation by carrying any caste, and even now, it is in favor of naming them in the belief that identity will be found, and conflicts will be eliminated.
The Emotional Response
The leader of the Janata Sabhajwadi Party and the health minister of the state government, Nirmala Limbu, said that the identity advocates against the caste sentiments of the region were subjected to "sati" by the force of the majority. He remarked that even when he was in the Cabinet together, the Chief Minister discriminated against him by not discussing the naming issue. Minister Limbu, who was very emotional, cried while speaking on the rostrum. Remembering that Dhere shed blood in the identity movement, he remarked that it was an attempt to prove public opinion wrong and said that it would not manage the conflict. He said that the name passed by the majority should be successful in making this province free from violence and free from agitation.
Final Thought
The proposal to name Province 1 as "Koshi Pradesh" has been passed by a two-thirds majority in the Provincial Assembly Secretariat of Nepal. The decision was made after thorough discussions among the members of different political parties, and it is believed that this will address the sentiments of all the ethnic communities in the province.
The naming of the province as "Koshi Pradesh" is significant as it not only addresses the sentiments of various ethnic communities, but it also reflects the geography of the region. Koshi is a major river in the area, and it has great significance in the lives of the people who live in the province. Moreover, the region is also home to several cultural and historical sites, including the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.
The decision to rename the province has been welcomed by the people of the region, who believe that this will help promote the identity and culture of the area. It is also expected to boost tourism in the region, as people will be more interested in visiting the province to learn about its unique history and culture.
However, there are also some concerns about the renaming of the province. Some people believe that this could lead to a demand for more provinces to be named after specific ethnic communities, which could fuel tensions and conflict between different groups. Others have criticized the decision, saying that it is merely a political stunt that will not have any real impact on the lives of the people in the province.
Despite these concerns, the decision to rename Province 1 as "Koshi Pradesh" has been made, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the coming months and years. The hope is that this will be a step towards greater unity and understanding between different communities in Nepal, and that it will help promote a sense of national identity that is inclusive and diverse.
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