SUNSARI: An agreement has been reached to remove religious and communal flags displayed in public places and roads in Sunsari following communal tensions in Devanganj Rural Municipality-3, Kaptanganj.
A meeting held at the District Administration Office, Sunsari, on Sunday under the chairmanship of Chief District Officer Ishwar Prasad Aryal agreed to remove flags displaying a particular ethnic, religious or communal identity from public places and roads.
The meeting was attended by religious leaders and representatives from different communities and focused on maintaining religious harmony in the district.
Tensions erupted in Kaptanganj on August 10 following a dispute over the playing of DJ music, which later turned violent and resulted in three deaths. The incident subsequently heightened communal tensions in the district.
The meeting also agreed that DJs and microphones would not be allowed in public places in a manner that obstructs or disturbs the general public. The use of sound systems at religious sites and programmes will also have to comply with prescribed standards.
According to the administration, DJs or microphones cannot be operated in public places without permission if they cause disturbance to the public. Religious sermons, prayers, bhajans and songs will also have to comply with government-prescribed noise limits.
Under the agreed standards, noise levels in urban residential areas should not exceed 55 decibels during the day and 50 decibels at night, while the limits for rural areas have been set at 45 decibels during the day and 40 decibels at night.
The religious leaders and representatives also agreed to urge members of their respective communities to maintain peace, harmony and restraint in order to reduce tensions following the Kaptanganj incident.
The District Administration Office had earlier issued a public appeal on August 5 asking all sides to remove flags, banners and other symbols displaying particular ethnic, religious or communal identities from public places and roads.
Under Sunday’s agreement, such flags displayed in public places will be removed, while those within the premises of monasteries, temples, mosques, churches and gumbas, as well as on private properties, may remain.
Three deaths
Om Prakash Mehta of Devanganj-4 died on August 10 while being taken to hospital for treatment following the incident.
Similarly, e-rickshaw driver Jaiprakash Mehta of Devanganj-3 died on August 15 while undergoing treatment at Neuro Hospital in Biratnagar.
Ravindra Kumar Mehta of Devanganj-3, who had sustained a gunshot wound to his leg, died on August 19 while receiving treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu.
The dispute over DJ music had escalated into a clash, following which police opened fire to bring the situation under control. Several others, including Amit Yadav, were injured.
Compensation agreed
Following the incident, the government and victims’ families reached an agreement to declare the deceased martyrs, provide Rs 1 million to each bereaved family and provide employment to one member of each family.
The Koshi Province government has also decided to provide an additional Rs 200,000 to each bereaved family and Rs 50,000 each to families of those injured and affected by arson.
However, Sunday’s meeting of religious leaders went beyond relief and compensation, with participants pledging to strengthen mutual respect, dialogue and cooperation among religious communities to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The agreement between the administration and religious leaders is being viewed as an effort to ease the communal tensions that intensified in Devanganj following the August 10 incident.
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