Publication Date : 17-06-2013
A general strike called by the 42 political parties in Nepal including the CPN-Maoist and the Sanghiya Samajwadi Party-Nepal threw normal life out of gear across the country including capital Kathmandu.
The agitating parties enforced the nationwide strike against the announcement of the date for the Constituent Assembly election.
The government on Thursday announced November 19 as the date for the Constituent Assembly (CA) polls.
Public vehicles stayed off the roads while educational institutions and market places remained shut. However, ambulances and vehicles of diplomatic missions, media and human rights organisations were allowed to ply.
Cadres of the agitating political parties converged at major thoroughfares in the capital and chanted anti-government slogans since early morning to enforce the banda.
The parties have called for the annulment of the 11-point pact signed between the major four parties and the 25-point proposal on removing the constitutional hurdles that led to the formation of the Khil Raj Regmi-led election government.
Although instances of violence were reported in Kavre district, the Kathmandu valley did not witness any untoward incident during the strike.
“No big case of violence was reported throughout the day,” said DSP Chakra Bahadur Singh, spokesman for the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Range Hanumandhoka.
In the Kavre district, central Nepal, banda enforcers vandalised two motorcycles on the charge of defying the strike. One was vandalised at Banepa and the other at Godam Chowk.
The strike also affected major towns of the country including Pokhara, Chitwan, Nepalgungj and Dhangadi. Market areas in Pokhara and Chitwan remained closed and no vehicles were seen plying the roads.
Life in eastern districts including Panchthar, Ilam, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Taplejung and Dhankuta was also crippled due to the general strike.
In Makawanpur, the banda enforcers vandalised four factories at the Hetauda Industrial Area. They hurled stones and smashed window panes and electricity bulbs.
“All the industries were shut but the protesters threw stones from the outside,” said Rishiram Ghimire, an industrialist.
The activists also vandalised a truck for defying the call.
In Sindhuli, Balaram Timilsina, a local leader of the UCPN (Maoist), was thrashed. Police detained an activist in connection with the incident.
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