Accusing the government of not addressing their demands, the agitating alliance of Brahmin, Chhetri, Dalit and backward community organizations has warned continuing their strike even on Saturday. [break]
Talking to media persons after the talks held at Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, Spokesperson for the alliance Kumar Khadka said they would give continuity to their strike on Saturday as the major parties are still in favor of ethnic-based states. “The government and the political parties do not seem to have taken our demands seriously,” he said. He also said that other protest programs to be staged from Saturday onwards would be made public at a press meet on Saturday.
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The committee has also demanded that Brahmin, Chhetris and Dalits be recognized as “indigenous groups” and not as “other groups”.
Minister without portfolio Barshaman Pun had called the agitating committee for talks, which was also attended by Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, deputy prime ministers Krishna Prasad Sitaula and Narayankaji Shrestha, Minister Mahendra Yadav and top leaders of the UCPN (Maoist), the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML.
A seven-member team comprising Kesh Bahadur KC, Narayan Prasad Adhikari, Dr Dil Bahadur Chhetri, Basudev Bhattarai, among others, had taken part in the talks on behalf of the agitating committee.
Talking to media persons, government talks team coordinator Krishna Prasad Sitaula said that they have already reached to an agreement with the agitating group. “The provincial assembly would take a final decision on the name to be given to particular province,” he said. “The assembly will pick the name from among the names floated by different groups.”
Likewise, the parties have agreed to rename “other groups” as “Khas-Aryan group” to define Brahmin and Chhetris in the constitution.
However, constituent groups of the alliance are divided over whether to continue with the strike on Saturday. “Though we are for unveiling other programs to exert pressure on the government and political parties, we are against giving continuity to the general strike,” said Vice Chairman of Nepal Dashnami Samaj Kiran Giri.
Medical training center vandalized
PALPA: Banda enforcers on Friday vandalized a medical training center in Palpa. They vandalized furniture, doors, windows, and a projector while training was on at the medical centre. According to Chief District Officer Tikaram Adhikari, banda enforcers damaged properties worth around Rs 200,000.
Tansen market remained tense when a scuffle ensued following police´s intervention. “We had warned them against conducting the training during banda,” said Dr Netra Prasad Neupane, president of a Bramhin and Chhetri Joint Struggle Committee. “But they did not listen to us,” he said.
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