Issuing a joint press statement undersigned by CPN-Maoist Secretary Dev Gurung on behalf of NFPRF and Kishor Kumar Biswas on behalf of the FRNF-N, they have also announced to encircle Singh Durbar on Thursday to put pressure on the government for safeguarding ´sovereignty´ and ´national independence´.[break]
In the joint statement, the NFPRF and FRNF-N have said their attention was drawn over media reports that an ´illegal´ and ´unauthorized´ office of Indian government was operating in Biratnagar. “We, therefore, strongly demand with the government to immediately close the unauthorized and illegal foreign office,” said the statement.
The demand by the two political alliances comes amid dilly-dallying of the Indian embassy in closing the ´field office´ even after the government wrote twice to the Indian embassy to this effect. The office was opened in the aftermath of the massive Koshi flooding in 2008 to facilitate vehicular movement through Indian territories when a section of road on the Nepal side was disrupted by the flood.
As the Indian embassy did not respond to its previous letter sent in January, 2011 to close the office as the office no longer had relevance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) a few weeks ago had written again to Indian embassy to close the office with immediate effect.
The Indian embassy had opened a ´field office´ near Koshi Barrage to provide ´permits´ to Nepalese vehicles in the aftermath of a breach in the Koshi embankment at Kushaha, Sunsari district on August 18, 2008. Officials said the office was relocated to Biratnagar without consent from MoFA after the broken road section was repaired a few months later.
In the joint statement, the NFPRF and FRNF-N informed that Singha Durbar will be encircled Thursday from 9 am to 11 am. "We appeal to all people including supporters of federalism, leftism, nationalism, identity-based federalism to express solidarity with us to save the national sovereignty," reads the statement. CPN-Maoist, CPN (Unified), CPN (Maoist), Revolutionary Communist Party Nepal and Federal Democratic National Forum are under FPRFN.
Similarly, Indigenous Nationalists Madhesi Muslims Dalit Republican Front, Khambuwan National Front, Indigenous Nationalist Party Nepal, Federal Democratic National Forum (Tharuhat) and Mangol Mulbasi Party are under FNRFN.
Earlier, FPRFN had imposed nationwide shutdown last Wednesday. The two alliances have announced to unveil fresh protest programs soon.
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