YAN representatives during the talks with Mahara at the latter´s office also agreed to withdraw the general strike called for Friday if the government reciprocates by releasing UML cadres who were arrested along with Mahesh. The government also agreed to provide treatment to those who sustained injuries during the protests on Thursday.[break]
Mahesh was arrested from Itahari on Thursday.
“YAN will fully cooperate with the administration in arresting Parshuram Basnet and investigating his involvement in the attack,” Bhattarai told Republica. “From now on, Parshuram will no longer be involved in any activities of the Youth Association and the party [UML].”
Home ministry sources claimed that the decision to release Mahesh was taken after Bhattarai assured that they would not obstruct Parshuram´s arrest. However, no written agreement to this effect has been signed between the home minister and youth representatives.
“We have agreed to hold a round-table conference between government officials, political parties and their wings, civil society and the media to find ways to avoid such incidents in future,” Bhattarai said.
Basnet arrested with PM´s consent
The home ministry had taken initiatives to arrest Youth Association President Mahesh Basnet after the latter openly challenged the police to arrest Parshuram Basnet.
On June 14, the Basnet duo organized a press conference at the house in Koteshwar owned by Ramila Shrestha, widow of the late Ram Hari Shrestha and flatly refused to appear before the police and cooperate in the investigation.
Police arresting Basnet.
“The arrest of Basnet was delayed as it took time to forge consensus between the prime minister, home minister and the police chief to nab him,” said a source.
According to the source, the home minister at a brief meeting with home ministry officials and police chief Rabindra Pratap Shah had proposed arresting Mahesh at any cost, saying the latter´s open challenge was highly condemnable.
“Mahesh had challenged us to show our mettle by arresting Parshuram. We decided to arrest him as abetting a criminal is also a crime,” the source quoted Mahara as saying at the meeting.
Minister Mahara then asked police chief Shah to initiate necessary action against Mahesh. Shah was reluctant to arrest Mahesh, fearing such an action would spark serious consequences.
But the Basnet duo reappeared on TV channels and in newspapers on Wednesday, challenging the government. “That upset us,” the source added.
Fireman training the water hose on a burning government car outside Shankar Dev Campus.
Another meeting was held at Home minister Mahara´s chambers on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the issue. This meeting decided to book Mahesh without further delay. The meeting also agreed to take prior consent from Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal before instructing the police to arrest Mahesh.
After the meeting, Mahara met PM Khanal at the latter´s residence, Baluwatar on Wednesday evening and briefed the latter about the incidents following the attack on journalist Dhakal. The PM was convinced and gave his nod to the home minister to take necessary action against Mahesh. Mahara then directed police chief Shah to immediately book Basnet. “This is how Mahesh was arrested,” the source added.
The source added that the primary motive of the government in arresting Mahesh was to force him to present Parshuram before the police for investigation.
Mahesh refuses release order
Meanwhile, Mahesh has refused to be released saying that he would not abide by the order unless the government clarifies why the police arrested him and released other YAN cadres, who were arrested along with him.
Basnet said the agreement reached between Home Minister Mahara and CPN-UML leaders, including Yogesh Bhattarai, is not acceptable to him.
“I do not accept the agreement,” Mahesh told Himalayan TV on Thursday evening. Saying he is still in police detention, he demanded that the authorities withdraw the “false” charges against Parshuram, Rohit Koirala and Manoj Rai.
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