Home Minister Kamal Thapa has said the government is fully prepared to crack down on the pre-scheduled four-day general strike of the seven opposition parties beginning April 6.

“The government will take strong steps to contain the general strike and other protest programmes of the parties. Since the Maoists are also involved in the general strike, the government must foil it,” Thapa said at a programme organised in Lalitpur on Tuesday to welcome the cadres of Nepal Samata Party (Samajbadi) who joined his Rastriya Prajatra Party (Thapa).

The Home Minister claimed that there was a “very dangerous Maoist conspiracy” behind the protest programmes called by the seven parties. He also insisted that the parties were playing into the hands of the rebels.

The government, however, would use “minimum force” to foil the seven parties’ protest programmes, Thapa said, without explaining what he meant by minimum force.

Thapa also made it a point to slam the Maoist statement to observe ceasefire in the Kathmandu Valley. “The ceasefire is nothing but a subterfuge. There is a dangerous conspiracy behind it,” he said and added that Monday’s Maoist statement was nothing but propaganda.

The Home Minister’s views came as the opposition alliance continued sporadic protests in Kathmandu during which over two dozen leaders and activists were arrested.

In an attempt to thwart the pre-scheduled mass demonstration of the alliance in the capital, the district administrations of Kathmandu and Lalitpur today announced indefinite prohibitory orders within Rind Road area with effect from Wednesday. nepalnews.com mk Apr 04 06