Various political parties have condemned the arrest of CPN-UML general-secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and seizure of communications equipment from his house.

Issuing separate press statements on Friday, Nepali Congress-Democratic (NC-D), Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Rastriya Janashakti said the government’s action has made a mockery of rule of law in the country and urged the government to immediately release him.

In a statement acting president of NC-D Gopal Man Shrestha said, “I strongly condemn the act of arresting Nepal in abduction-style and seizure of his communications equipment in an inhuman manner.”

RJP chairman and former Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa termed the arrest as “uncivilized”, adding, “Searching of his home and those of his relatives and seizure of communications equipment were detrimental to government talk about dialogue with the parties.”

“I express my deepest objection to this disgraceful act personally and on behalf of the party,” Thapa said in the statement, also urging the government to release Nepal immediately.

Terming the arrest of a leader, who was already in preventive detention, as “irrational”, RPP chairman Rana urged the government to immediately release Nepal out of respect.

Friday’s meeting of the CPN-UML’s standing committee also condemned the government for putting party general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal under preventive detention for three months on “fictitious charges”. The government had accused Nepal of “spreading rumours” against the government.

“It is unconstitutional, illegal and autocratic on the part of the government to put Nepal under preventive detention on fictitious charges,” said a press statement issued by the party after the meeting.

The meeting also condemned the government for confiscating communication equipments from Nepal’s residence on Wednesday.

General Secretary of the CPN-ML CP Mainali also condemned the government for putting Nepal under preventive detention for three months under “false charges”.

The government on Thursday transferred senior opposition leader, Madhav Kumar Nepal, who remained under house arrest since January 9 from “house arrest” to armed police force detention center in Kakani.

On Wednesday, Armed Police Force personnel had raided the house of Mr. Nepal and seized communications equipment including a telephone set, fax machine and a computer.