Janakpur-based Nepal Rastra Bank Office was padlocked for defying Province 2 government’s decision to mark public holiday today. Province 2 Minister of Internal Affairs and Law Gyanendra Yadav padlocked the main door of Rastra Bank office at 11:00am. The province’s Cabinet had declared public holiday today to mark Rakshyabandhan and Janai Purnima. The notice was published in the province gazette. “The constitution has granted right to the province government to announce public holiday,” Minister Yadav said, adding, “I was compelled to padlock the bank after offices under the federal government defied the province government’s decision.” Yadav said the province government would padlock any office that defied its decision. Though offices under the provincial government and local levels had pulled down their shutters, Nepal Rastra Bank, private and government banks and financial institutions had opened today. Government-owned enterprises, companies and District Administration Office too stayed open. Earlier, offices under the federal government had defied the holiday announced on Bakr Id and Janaki Nawami by the province government. Minister Yadav said they had to padlock the office as it had stayed open despite information about holiday. All staffers and employees were let out of the office before Rastra Bank office was padlocked. The work procedure enacted on August 17 clearly states that province government can announce public holiday. Dhanusha Chief District Officer Premlal Lamichhane, however, said it was not appropriate for the minister himself to padlock NRB Office which is under the federal government. The office was opened half-an-hour later. प्रदेश सरकारले दिएको बिदा अवज्ञा गरेको भन्दै दुई नम्बर प्रदेश सरकारका एक मन्त्रीले नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंकको जनकपुरस्थित क्षेत्रीय कार्यालयमा तालाबन्दी गरेका छन् । प्रदेश सरकारले आइतबार रक्षाबन्धनका अवसरमा दिएको बिदा अटेर गरेर कार्यालय सञ्चालन गरेको भन्दै दुई नम्बर प्रदेश सरकारका आन्तरिक मामिला तथा कानुन मन्त्री ज्ञानेन्द्र यादवले मुरली चोकस्थित राष्ट्र बैंकको क्षेत्रीय कार्यालयमा ताला लगाएका हुन् । प्रदेश सरकारको बिदा अटेर गरेको भन्दै मन्त्री यादवले आफैँ नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंक क्षेत्रीय कार्यालयमा तालाबन्दी गरेर जिल्ला प्रशासन कार्यालयमा पुगेका छन् । त्यहाँ उनले कार्यालय सञ्चालन नगर्न निर्देशन दिएका छन् । रक्षाबन्धनको प्रदेश बिदा संघीय सरकार अन्तरगतका कार्यालयले अटेर गरेपछि आफैँले ताला लगाउन बाध्य भएको काननुमन्त्री यादवले बताएका छन् । प्रजिअको कार्यालयमा पुगेका उनले कार्यालय नचलाउन निर्देशन दिए । संघीय सरकार अन्तरगतका जिल्ला प्रशासनसहितका कार्यालयले प्रदेश सरकारले यसअघि दिँदै आएका बिदा नमान्ने जनाएका थिए ।