KATHMANDU, Nov 12: Demanding “civilian supremacy”, the Maoists on Thursday picketed the government secretariat Singha Durbar. They also briefly clashed with the police. Top Maoist leaders, including chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, had led the protests. [break]
The protestors, numbering thousands, had blocked the entrance to the Singh Durbar during the office hours. Heavily armed security personnel cordoned off Singha Durbar and did not allow the protestors to enter the prohibited zone. However, traffic movement around the area came to a complete halt during the protests.
The protestors sang, danced, recited poems and played cymbals and drums, besides chanting slogans demanding civilian supremacy and formation of a Maoist-led national unity government. The protest also saw massive participation of children in school uniforms. The Maoists distributed beaten rice, grams and other snacks to the cadres during the protests.
Maoist Chairman Dahal, who led the protests at Bhadrakai, was also accompanied by wife Sita, daughter Ganga and granddaughter Smita along with Maoist Vice Chair Mohan Baidya and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa.
Similarly, Vice chair Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Secretary Posta Bahadur Bogati had led the rally at Maitighar Mandala, Vice Chair Narayankaji Shrestha and Secretary CP Gajurel in front of Padmodaya School, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Lilamani Pokharel in front of the District Administration Office, Amik Serchan and Barsa Man Pun in front of the Department of Road, Dev Gurung and Top Babadur Rayamajhi at Hanuman Than, Netra Bikram Chand and Dinanath Sharma at the eastern gate of Singha Durbar and Giriraj Mani Pokharel and Hisila Yami at Kalikasthan.
Few civil servants inside
The country´s main administrative center Singha Durbar, usually bustling with activity, was quiet throughout the day, as most of the government employees were unable to attend their offices.
According to a senior government officer, only one third of the total government employees attended their offices. “A majority of the civil servants were absent as all the gates were blocked by the Maoists since early morning,” said a government secretary requesting anonymity.
However, five ministers, a state minister and almost all secretaries reached their offices before the protests began. Ministers Prakash Sharan Mahat, Bal Krishana Khand, Surendra Pandey, Deepak Bohara and Damber Bahadur Shrestha were present in their respective ministries. They had entered Singha Durbar between 7 am to 8 am. State Minister Jitu Gautam was the only state minister to reach office. Some of the ministers and state ministers were forced to return as the Maoists had also disrupted vehicular movement around Singha Durbar.
Home Secretary Govinda Prasad Kusum had entered Singha Durbar at 4:30 a.m. Three security chiefs also reached Home Ministry before 7 a.m. They held a meeting with home secretary that lasted throughout the day. The government, on Wednesday, had issued a verbal circular to the ministers and secretaries to enter Singha Durbar by 5 a.m.
Scores injured in cops-protestors clash
Clashes ensued at Hanumanthan and in front of the Department of Road after the Maoist protestors pelted stones at the police and pushed their way into the prohibited zone. The police baton-charged and fired several rounds of teargas shells to disperse the agitators.
However the Maoists claimed that people other than the protestors had infiltrated the rally to incite violence, while the police resorted to baton-charge without issuing any warning.
Some five dozen protestors and including some policemen were injured in the clashes. Some of them have been injured seriously. Among the injured are Maoist Standing Committee member Amik Sherchan, and Constituent Assembly members Shivaraj Gautam and Sushma Ghimire. The injured are undergoing treatment at Jana Maitreya Hospital.
Meanwhile, issuing a statement, the Maoists´ United National People´s Movement has stated that the clash ensued after the police all of a sudden attacked the protestors. As many as hundred activists have been injured in the police attack, the statement claimed. The party has also demanded treatment for the injured protestors. Maoists are scheduled to picket the Singha Durbar from 8 a.m. on Friday.
Meanwhile, an informal meeting of cabinet ministers held at Singha Durbar has authorized the home minister to take necessary steps in view of the Maoist protests on Friday.
Bus carrying Maoists meets with accident
A bus carrying Maoist cadres from Gorkha district met with an accident at Aanbu Khaireni in Tanahun district, on Thursday morning. Maoist cadre Suresh Tamu was killed in the accident, while 50 others have been injured. Four of them have been seriously injured.
According to the party, the bus was carrying Maoist cadres to the protest program at Singha Durbar. The injured are being treated at Bir Hospital and Jana Maitri Hospital in the capital. The bus was overcrowded, some TV channels referring to police accounts, reported.
The Maoist leadership has instructed its sister organizations and district units to bring as many cadres as possible for the protests.
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