KATHMANDU, April 15: The ruling Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has decided to step up protest against the Election Commission (EC) over the latter's decision to remove the terms “Hindu state” and “monarchy” from its statute. 

A meeting of the party's office bearers held in Kathmandu on Friday, the RPP concluded that the response from the EC over the memorandum submitted earlier against the decision to remove Hindu state and monarchy from their statute was not satisfactory. 

“We will again submit a memorandum to the EC tomorrow against the decision. We will start various programs of protests beginning April 18 if we dot receive positive response from the EC,” said RPP spokesperson Sushil Kumar Shrestha. 

RPP has decided to hold protest rallies in all 744 local units on April 18 and similar rallies in the headquarters of all 75 districts on April 19. “We will picket EC central office as well as all the district offices of EC on April 21 against the decision,” said Shrestha.
 
Earlier, RPP had staged a torch rally and sit-in protest against the EC's decision. The party has maintained that it should be allowed to retain the two terms in the party's statute as the EC has not removed provisions that contradict the constitutional provision in case of other parties. 

Meanwhile, the office bearers' meeting of the party has also decided to hold election rallies across the country in view of the local-level election. The party has decided to hold election rallies in various places including Tikapur, Kanchanpur, Tulsipur, Chitwan, Hetauda, Damak and Bhairahawa. Central-level leaders of the party including President Kamal Thapa will address the rallies. 

 
• rastriya prajatantra party
 
• election commission
 
• hindu state