Speaking at a public program in Amargadhi on Wednesday, the district headquarters of Dadeldhura, UML Mahakali Zonal committee member Bikram Sahi exhorted the Youth Force cadres to beat journalists at sight. Following the directives from the UML leader, the journalists stayed in the District Administration Office till 11 pm demanding security.
Ram Dhami, president of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) in the district, said the journalists couldn’t work on Thursday after the Youth Force cadres were directed to target journalists. “We approached the district administration for shelter after we were threatened in a public program,” Dhami said, adding, “After the Chief District Officer guaranteed our security, we returned late night, but couldn’t publish the papers.”
He said UML district secretary Pathansingh Bohara has also directed the Youth Force cadres to beat journalists. He said the journalists came under the UML target after they condemned the beating of Dadeldhura Campus chief Arjun Kumar Basnet by Youth Force cadres about a week ago.
UML leader Sahi, on the other hand, claimed that he has never directed the Youth Force cadres to beat journalists. He charged that the journalists were conspiring against him.
Three daily newspapers— Hill Times, Amargadhi and Dadeldhura Post went closed on Thursday.
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