A nation which believed to be batterd(sati in Nepali i am sorry for the word) by those women who been forced to die along with husbands in the past generation, Nepal’s capital now under maoist agitation again.
As reported by various news agencies, Thousands of cadres of UCPN (Maoist) and its sister organizations along with their leaders have gathered around the country’s administrative center Singha Durbar from early morning, Thursday to picket the seat of the government as part of their second phase of agitation against the President’s move to overrule the erstwhile government’s decision to sack the then army chief.
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal along with senior Vice-Chairman Mohan Baidhya ‘Kiran, General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ are leading the Singha Durbar gherao program from Bhadrakali, Vice-Chairman Dr. Baburam Bhattarai including other top leaders of the party from Maitighar Mandala and Narayan Kazi Shrestha from Anamnagar.
Similarly, Amik Shrechan including others are picketing the administrative center from Babar Mahal, Krishna Bahadur Mahara from the Kathmandu District Administration Office and Hisila Yami from Kalikasthan.
The Ministers and government employees reached their offices in the Singha Durbar early morning in view of the Singh Durbar gherao program of the Maoists. The government had yesterday instructed all high level government officials to compulsorily attend their offices on Thursday.
Maoist cadres from Kathmandu valley and those brought in from nearby districts including Kavre, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Tanahun are staging demonstrations at Bhadrakali, Maitighar, Babarmahal, Kalikasthan, Pradarshanimarg and other places around Singha Durbar.
Our correspondents at the site say that the Maoist cadres are singing various kinds of traditional and ‘revolutionary’ songs, making the atmosphere very lively and musical. Some of them are even dancing and have found a unique way of protesting by reciting poems and performing small acts.
They have obstructed the movement of vehicles in the area preventing some government employees from entering their offices in and around Singha Durbar premises.
Thousands of Maoist cadres had been brought from various districts in reserved buses to participate in the demonstration. Many of them are still on their way.
The Maoists have said they will make the demonstrations peaceful and not enter the prohibited zone declared earlier. Maoists had issued circulars to members of all trade unions to participate in the demonstrations.
Yet, the government has deployed thousands of security personnel including those from Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force (APF) at the area.
Reports say, some of the ministers and high-level government employees had entered Singha Durbar before dawn.
Vehicular movement in downtown Kathmandu has been severely affected due to the demonstrations. Although, the Maoists had said they would not disturb the normal functioning of any other offices, schools or market, many schools in Kathmandu have closed today in view of the Maoist demonstration.
Bus ferrying Maoist cadres meets with accident, one killed
Meanwhile, a bus ferrying Maoist cadres from Gorkha to Kathmandu, who were coming to participate in the demonstrations had an accident this morning.
One Maoist cadre has been killed while more than three dozen have been injured.
Suresh Tamu, 25, of Kerabari, Gorkha, who was critically injured in the accident, died shortly after being brought to Jana Maitri Hospital for treatment. The bus was at a very high speed when the accident occurred, according to an injured of the accident.
About two dozen injured have been brought to Kathmandu for treatment, while about 10 persons who had sustained injuries have returned home after basic treatment at medical stores in Anbu Khaireni.
Eight of the injured are being treated at Bir Hospital, while the remaining are being treated at Jana Maitri Hospital, Balaju. Seven of injured are in critical condition.
-Nepalnews reports.
