Maoists torch Nagarik, Republica; denounce news report

KATHMANDU, May 28: The Unified CPN (Maoist) and its senior leader Ram Bahadur Thapa have separately denounced a news report published in the Nagarik and Republica dailies about an abducted doctor being held in Maoist captivity. In addition, the Maoists burnt copies of the two newspapers in various parts of the country Friday in protest against the news item.



On Friday, Nagarik and its sister publication Republica published a news report claiming that Dr Bhakta Man Shrestha, executive director of the BP Memorial Cancer Hospital in Bharatpur, is being held captive by the Maoists. Dr Shrestha went missing 10 days ago. [break]



A meeting of the Maoist Standing Committee on Friday termed the news report "sponsored" and a "conspiracy". The party said that the news report is an attempt to divert an ongoing investigation being carried out by various government agencies.



The Maoists earlier formed a three-member committee under Maoist Constituent Assembly member Amik Sherchan to probe the incident.



“Our party´s standing committee meeting held this morning decided that the news report is sponsored and a conspiracy,” a press release signed by party spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma said. “We strongly denounce the most maliciously intentioned attempt to defame leaders including party general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa.”



Thapa also issued a press release separately denouncing the news report. The report claimed that Dr Shrestha was held captive by the Maoists over his differences with Thapa.



Maoists torch Nagarik, Republica



Maoist cadres torched copies of Nagarik and Republica dailies in various places across the country for publishing the news report claiming that the Maoists are holding Dr Shrestha captive.



The cadres torched copies of the newspapers at New Baneshwar, New Road and Bhugolpark in Kathmandu, Kaushaltar in Bhaktapur and Lagankhel, Lalitpur and chanted slogans against the two dailies.



Similarly, copies of the newspapers were burnt in Baglung, Sindhuli, Chitwan, Palpa, Syangja and Nepalgunj. In Gorkha, the Maoists seized all copies of the two newspapers and set fire to only one copy of Nagarik. Newspapers were burnt in Itahari, Birgunj, Dhangadhi, Dhankuta and Tanahu as well.



The Maoists have threatened to stop all distribution of the two newspapers in the eastern region. Coordinator of the Maoist-affiliated Akhil Nepal Trade Union Mahasangh Kochila State Committee, Bhanu Mainali, called up the Nagarik correspondent in Itahari and warned of dire consequences if the newspaper is distributed on Saturday.



FNJ condemns torching



Meanwhile, issuing a press release, the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has condemned the torching of the newspapers. Expressing concern over the incident, FNJ demanded respect for the constitutional right to freedom of the press.



"The party should have resorted to legal remedy if it was dissatisfied over any news report published, but torching of newspapers is an act against press freedom," the release signed by general secretary Poshan KC added.



The statement added that such activities violate the people´s right to information.

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