Demonstrations against the royal proclamation; hundreds of thousands take to street on Friday

April 22, 2006
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Pro-democracy activists have started taking out to the street from early morning on Saturday against the royal proclamation of Friday.

Pro-democracy activists organized demonstrations in various parts of the capital from early morning.

Cadres of political parties took out to the streets in various districts of the country terming it as a ploy and saying it did not address the demands raised by the seven political parties.

According to reports, demonstrations are on in Nepalgunj, Bardia, Butwal, Chitwan, Birgunj, Biratnagar, Pokhara and other parts of the country demanding election of the constituent assembly. They warned the political parties not to compromise until the demands of the political parties, that is, reinstatement of House of Representatives and elections to the constituent assembly, are met.

Hundreds of thousands people took out to the street on Friday in major towns in various districts across the country on the 16th day of the ongoing movement for democracy.

In Rautahat and Ramechhap districts, agitators erased “His Majesty’s Government” from signboards of various government offices and replaced the phrase with “Nepal Government”.

In Charikot district’s headquarters Dolakha, teachers, students, legal practitioners, health workers, labourers, industrialists, businessmen, farmers, professionals, human rights activists and political parties organised separate rallies.

In Besisahar of Lamjung district, broom-wielding agitators took out a rally at the call of local NGOs and Mother’s group.

Civil servants in Lamjung supported the pro-democracy movement by sporting black armbands. They also set ablaze many portraits of archaeological value at Lamjung palace.

The seven parties organised a rally in Simra, according to reports. Farmers took out a spade rally while other workers held a bicycle rally in Simra. Agitators vandalised half-a-dozen vehicles en route to Kathmandu under police escort. The parties also held a rally in Kalaiya. Sportspersons joined the rally along with human rights activists to protest police intervention in peaceful demonstrations, according to reports.

A report from Chitwan said 54 organisations organised a street play in Nawalparasi’s Gaidakot. The King was roundly criticised in that.

Hotel entrepreneurs in Dhadingbesi staged a massive rally in support of the movement. They were joined by political workers, teachers, government employees, women, hotel workers and legal practitioners.

In Rupandehi, protesters staged a large rally from Pushpa Lal Park to Media Chowk.

In Gaighat, employees of district-based government offices, banks and corporations stopped work. Bank employees refused to work until the restoration of democracy.

In Ramechhap, the district hospital workers halted work in all departments except the emergency department.

In Pyuthan, civil servants and teachers staged a demonstration in Khalanga, the district headquarters. The protest was organised by the Federation of Professionals’ Unions. For the last five days, the workers have been staging a pen-down and also sporting black armbands.

In Rautahat, protesters rallied in Chandranigahapur. Central member of the CPN-UML Purushottam Poudel urged top leaders not to succumb to any regressive ploy. Bir Bahadur Waiba, central member of Janamorcha Nepal said peace and monarchy were incompatible. The agitators also vandalised the building of the district traffic police office. nepalnews.com pb Apr 22 06