Home Minister Kamal Thapa has claimed that the four-day general strike (April 6-9) called by the Seven Party alliance (SPA) is in fact the programme of the CPN (Maoist) and said the government will foil it at any cost.
Addressing an interaction organized by the Reporters Club of Nepal in the capital on Tuesday, Minister Thapa said the Maoists had first announced the indefinite strike beginning April 6. “Upon entering into second understanding with the Maoists, the SPA preponed its protest programme beginning April 6. Hence, there should be no illusion that the four-day strike is, in fact, the Maoists’ programme,” said the interior minister.
In response to a query, Minister Thapa said the government had credible information that terrorists had entered into the capital and were likely to infiltrate the general strike and mass rally announced by the opposition alliance. “If we get hold of the rebels, even if they are found participating in the opposition rally, they will be dealt with in accordance with the anti-terror law,” he warned.
Nepal government refers to Maoist rebels as terrorists.
Minister Thapa, however, urged the opposition parties to break up their “alliance” with the Maoists and engage in constructive dialogue with the constitutional forces. He said such a dialogue could take place even if some of the opposition leaders were in jail. He did not elaborate.
The Home Minister said the government had tightened security in the capital and other parts of the country in view of the proposed protests announced by the opposition parties. He, however, claimed that violent activities had gone up in the country and morale of the Maoists had gone up after entering into an understanding with the opposition parties.
The seven party alliance has said the four-day general strike—against the last year’s royal takeover—would be peaceful and would continue unless the king gives up his direct rule.