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Protests in Kathmandu were largely peaceful barring a clash between the Maoists and the police at Gongabu on Monday. [break]
Towns outside the Valley saw a few clashes between the police and protesters.
Vehicles remained off the roads, and education institutions, marketplaces, factories and offices were shut across the country throughout the day.
Like on Sunday, Maoist cadres converged at 18 key points of the capital reciting poems, singing and dancing. Senior Maoist leaders addressed the masses at these locations.
Addressing the masses at Sundhara, Maoist Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai said his party would announce a “people´s constitution” from the streets if the Maoist demands were not met before May 28.
Dr Bhattarai also criticized the government for “threatening to deploy the army to crush the demonstrations”. “The police and army brothers will turn their guns against those who give them orders to shoot at the masses,” he claimed. He said people´s patience will soon run out if their demands were not met. He also called on Valley denizens, especially the Newar community, to hit the streets to bring about the desired results at the earliest.
Our correspondent from Nepalgunj reported that the Maoists burnt the effigy of Prime Minister Madhav Nepal there. The protesters vandalized a motorbike and a tanker.
In Dhankuta, local Youth Association Nepal and UML-affiliated Youth Force came to the streets asking shopkeepers and hoteliers to open businesses.
Local Youth Force coordinator Pravin Pokharel said they took the move after the Maoists forcefully shut down the markets. In response, YCL cadres marched through the marketplaces.
Meanwhile, Maoists vandalized Rastriya Banijya Bank and Siddhartha Garments in Butwal. A dozen of protesters were arrested in Rupandehi on charge of torching a motrocycle.
Chitwan remained calm on Monday despite some unrest on Sunday. Maoist student leader Ashish Devkota, who received a rubber bullet in his throat on Sunday, is reportedly out of danger.
Maoists held similar demosntrations in Dang, Taplejung, Siraha, Saptari and Dhangadi.
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