Agitated employees at the Ministry of Health locked up Deputy Prime Minister Amik Sherchan—who also holds the Health and Population portfolio—for nearly eight hours on Sunday.

Deputy Prime Minister Amik Sherchan

Deputy Prime Minister Amik Sherchan
(File Photo)
According to reports, the employees locked up the deputy prime minister in protest of his order to revoke the decision of transfer of nearly 1,100 employees of the ministry across the country.

They also demanded resignation of Minister and chanted slogans against him.

Reports said DPM Sherchan— who is also the president of leftist Jana Morcha Nepal—came out of his chamber by managing to break the lock at around 7 p. m. but was again gheraoed by the employees for another one hours.

Helping hands:  Nepal Army personnel helping to control flooding in the Bagmati River at the Pashupati area in Kathmandu. The flooding destroyed more than 6 houses on the banks of the river early morning, Sunday,  July 02 06. nepalnews.com/ANA

People reading paper clipping on the walls of the Ministry of Health and Population regarding news of the lock up of Deputy prime minister Amik Sherchan by the ministry officials, Monday, July 03 06. nepalnews.com/AN
The Health Ministry employees have alleged that rather than annulling the decision of the royal government to transfer the employees on an “ad hoc” basis, the Minister decided to annul all transfers of employees since the royal takeover of February 1 2005 until he took up the job.

DPM Sherchan was allowed to let go only after he assured that he will act as per the recommendation of the committee formed to submit report about the transfer of the employees.

Nearly 1,100 employees, who were recently transferred after working for several years in the remote areas, had been affected due to the decision of the new minister.