(Updated with details, 1330 NST, 0745 GMT)
KATHMANDU, Jan 16: A meeting of top leaders of seven mainstream political parties convened Friday morning by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal decided not to call any strikes in the “essential sectors” for the next six months. [break]
Govt prohibits strikes in essential service sectors
Government spokesperson and Minister for Information and Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara told journalists that the leaders decided not to call any strike in transportation, health, education, banking and customs sectors for at least six months, declaring these areas as being “essential”.
The meeting saw participation of top leaders of the major parties including Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), Madhesi People’s Rights Forum, Nepali Congress, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Mahato) and Tarai Madhes Democratic Party.
However, Nepali Congress (NC) had some reservations over the Prime Minister’s proposal to ban strikes altogether. NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel told journalists, following the meeting, that he asked the Prime Minister whether peaceful protests could be allowed.
UML leader Jhala Nath Khanal said the participating leaders discussed whether a taskforce could be formed to suggest ways to deal with the continuous strikes. For that, said Khanal, the government first should come up with a solid proposal.
The mainstream party leaders decided, among others, to open the Tribhuvan University that has remained closed for weeks due to protests by the Kirtipur locals and remove the garbage from the Kathmandu Valley.
