Kathmandu Valley shut against federalism

KATHMANDU, Jan 10: Rastriya Jana Morcha (RJM) on Sunday enforced a general shut down in Kathmandu Valley protesting the government´s decision to adopt the federal state model.

The shut down called to exert pressure on the political parties to not adopt the model threw normal life in the capital out of gear. [break]

While academic institutions, businesses and marketplaces remained closed, vehicles remained off the roads for fear of vandalism. Only a few private two-wheelers could be seen plying on the streets.

The RJM lifted its traffic obstruction at 3 pm-one hour before the party concluded its shut down by organizing a corner meeting at Ratnapark. RJM Chairman Chitra Bahadur KC addressed the corner meeting.

The RJM cadres had obstructed vehicular movement in the capital since early Sunday morning and also vandalized at least six vehicles for defying the strike.

Local authorities had deployed a large number of police personnel in all major points of the valley to avoid any untoward incident.

The police rounded up a total 27 RJM cadres for obstructing and vandalizing vehicles. All of them were released later in the evening.

The agitating RJM cadres torched a bus (Ba 1 Ka 4650) at Bafal, Tahachal. Likewise, they vandalized two taxis at Balaju and another at Dillibazar. A truck was vandalized at Kumaripati, Lalitpur.

Though the Interim Constitution stipulates that the state adopt federal model, the RJM is the only party among 24 others in the Constituent Assembly that is against the idea.

The RJM has argued that federalism would lead the country towards disintegration as it weakens national unity. The party maintains that devolution of powers to local bodies can do away with the ills in the current unitary governance system.

Retaliatory motorcycle rally against RJM shut down

Newa Swayatta Rajya Manka Sangharsha Samiti (NSRMSS), an umbrella body of Newari ethnic fronts, staged an anti-strike bike rally from Basantapur Durbar Square in Kathmandu at 10 a.m. on Sunday. The rally began an hour behind schedule.

The NSRMSS activists shouted slogans like “anti-federalists beware!” and “long live Newa Swayatta Rajya (autonomous state)”. The bike rally attended by the leaders of NSRMSS which recently declared autonomous Newa State concluded at Basantapur Durbar Square after driving past major thoroughfares of the city.

Protestor´s nose chopped off

A group of protestors supporting federalism and Newa Autonomous State chopped off RJM protestor Surya Bahadur Nepali´s nose near Maitidevi on Sunday.

According to RJM cadre Dilip Poudel, a group of about 25 pro-federalism supporters followed them from the stretch between Maitidevi and Dillibazar and started attacking them. Nepali, who received deep injuries on his nose, went a nose surgery at Bir Hospital.

The group also attacked two RJM cadres with iron rods. They have returned home after receiving treatment at Kathmandu Model Hospital.

RJM alleged that a group incited by the Maoists was behind the incident. “The group involved in attacking our cadres are those incited by the Maoists,” said RJM central member Bharat Bhandari.