The demonstration carried out by five mothers´ groups had participation from women as old as 75 years, school children, rights workers, tourism workers and even tourists. [break]
The demonstration was led by Annapurna, Jagadamba, Miterinari, Chhetri Mahila and Dhorbarahi Didi-Bahini groups.
The rally that started from Jarewar of Baidam went through Lakeside and converted into a mass gathering at Shahidchowk. Participants shouted slogans against strikes. They said that strikes have severely inconvenienced them and urged organizations and groups concerned to stop calling strikes.
The mothers said strikes should be prohibited throughout the country. They expressed anger over the political parties for enforcing strikes for political interests.
“People are worried seeing what the political parties are doing. From now on, if anyone calls a strike, we will retaliate,” said Maiya Thapa, chairperson of Chhetri Mothers´ Group.
Though the mothers had invited representatives of various political parties, only the representatives of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML showed up.
Deepkabir Kunwar, acting chairman of Nepali Congress for Baidam, appreciated the move by the mothers.
“It is time to transform the nature of protests, instead of making people suffer by enforcing strikes,” he said. “We support the mothers who have come to the streets to protest strikes.”
Similarly, Kali Bahadur Pariyar, ward chairman and a member of CPN-UML, said the demonstration indicates the level of suffering of people due to frequent strikes.
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