SELF-IMMOLATION THREATENED IF FAR-WEST DIVIDED Kathmandu, 28 April: Chairperson of Sadbhavana Party Nepal, Kanchanpur, Bhagawandas Gupta has warned of immolating self if the far-western region was not kept intact while restructuring the state, RSS reports from Kanchanpur. Addressing the public gathering organised by Civil Society Kanchanpur against the division of far-western region Friday, Chairperson Gupta announced to commit suicide if the integrated far-western was divided in the name of federalism. Making public that he would immolate himself the day the far-Western region was demarcated into states, he stressed that disintegration of the region should not be allowed at any expenses. Chairperson Gupta made this announcement at a time when the Maoist-proposed state restructuring has included two Terai districts in the far-western region – Kailali and Kanchanpur – in the Tharuwan provincial unit. Meanwhile, a delegation of the Sherpa community Saturday met CPN-UML Chairperson Jhalanath Khanal and Nepali Congress leader Gopal Man Shrestha and submitted separate memorandums to them, calling for guarantee of Shrepa autonomous state in the federal Nepal, RSS reports. During the meeting, UML Chairman Khanal was urged to not move back from the proposal of 14 provinces as proposed by the State Restructuring and State Power Sharing Committee, said Zip Kshring Sherpa, coordinator of Sherpa Autonomous Province Implementation Struggle Committee. Receiving the memo, Khanal said the Sherpa community would be brought to the mainstream of the State while demarcating federal states. Similarly, Congress leader Gopalman Shrestha said his party was positive towards the demands raised by the Sherpa community, vowing to address their issues while carving out federal states. The delegation comprised the Sherpa lawmakers from the UCPN-Maoist, the Congress and UML . nnnn