The NC decision comes even as the government has expressed commitment to address the party´s demands.break]
NC General Secretary Prakash Man Singh said the party would launch protests on the streets and in parliament to exert pressure on the government to meet its demands.[
At the end of the day-long strike, the government said it has started the process of withdrawing the criminal cases against Paudel, Rai and others and would take necessary steps for declaring Paudel a martyr after the probe team submits its report to the government.
The NC withdrew its strike at 4 pm, shortly after the government expressed commitment to meet the party´s demands in a press statement issued by the home ministry.
NC enforced the nationwide strike to protest the death of Paudel, who died of serious head injuries that he sustained in an attack inside the Bharatpur Jail on December 6. Paudel had been in judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the murder of a CPN-UML youth leader in Chitwan.
"We are compelled to continue our protests until the government meets our demands. However, the form of such protests will be different due to the gravity of the issue," said Singh, "It is not only the issue of Nepali Congress or Shiva Paudel, a person has been murdered in judicial custody where only the state has access."
The party also expressed sadness over the inconvenience caused to the general public due to the strike.
Meanwhile, the NC has decided to take the dead body of Paudel to Chitwan on Tuesday for his last rites. The party is also organizing a mass gathering in Chitwan on Tuesday.
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