Hundreds of activists of the seven agitating political parties were arrested across the country on Tuesday ahead of a planned nationwide demonstrations to observe last year’s February 1 royal move as ‘black day’.

Women activists of the seven political parties being arrested at New Baneswore during their anti-election protest rally in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Jan 31 06. nepalnews.com/rh

Nepali Congress spokesman Krishna Prasad Sitaula told Nepalnews that hundreds of leaders and activists of the seven-party alliance were apprehended by the police in various districts including Jhapa, Dang, Makwanpur and Palpa.

The exact number of arrested could not be confirmed independently but the NC spokesman claimed that more than 500 activists were arrested today, most of them from their houses. Similarly, over 50 women activists of the seven parties were arrested during protest rallies in Kathmandu in the afternoon.

“The government has made these arrests in order to thwart our protest programs on Wednesday. But the parties are set to organise massive protest rallies across the country,” he said and informed that dozens of professional organizations and human rights groups are also participating in the ‘black day’ protests.

The King sacked a four-party government led by Sher Bahadur Deuba and assumed direct power on February 1, 2005. The seven parties and the civil society groups have been waging a movement against the royal move since then.