Agitation begins in Salyan after parties publicize seven states framework

Following agreement on the topic of federalism with seven states among the senior leaders of three major political parties, agitations have stopped in a few districts, while contrasting scenes are being witnessed in other few districts. After the framework of seven states became public, agitation began in Salyan with demand of inclusion of unified Rapti and Salyan in State number 5. Protest began after Salyan was separated from Rapti in the latest division. Protesters burnt effigy of Unified Maoist parliamentarian Janardan Sharma, CPN-UML parliamentarian Prakash Jwala and Nepali Congress Joint General Secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka accusing them of playing a role in dividing Rukum and separating Salyan from Rapti. Salyan Headquarters is completely shut while transport and markets have failed to operate due to the agitation. Elsewhere, the strike with demand of an undivided Mid West and declaring Surkhet as the state capital has been called off from today. With that, the strike that had been imposed for 13 successive days in Surkhet is now over. The agitation in Surkhet was lifted after the major political parties introduced the new framework of seven states. Life is coming back to normal in the district after the strike was called off. Meanwhile, protests that have been in progress in Jumla have now subsided. Situation in Jumla became normal after Karnali was separated from Far West in the proposed seven states.