19 parties launch anti-govt stir

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: A meeting of 19 political parties opposed to the ‘unilateral declaration of fresh Constituent Assembly (CA) polls today announced nationwide protests against the government.

Although there were sufficient ways to safeguard the CA’s achievements and make the next elections constitutional, the UCPN-M unilaterally opted for elections with the mal-intention of capturing state powers, the parties, including the Nepali Congress and the UML, said.

Various protests will be organised nationwide until June 7, and on June 8, a “massive protest rally” and mass meeting will be organised in Khulla Manch, Kathmandu, said UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal.

“The agitation will continue until the ruling parties give consensual alternative for national unity government and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai checks out of Baluwatar,” said Khanal.

Nepali Congress vice president Ram Chandra Paudel said, “Our protest is to prevent the Maoists from capturing state powers and clear constitutional and political hurdles to promulgate the constitution.”

“The government declared fresh CA polls as if it were talking about regular parliamentary polls. The fate of the CA should have been decided through constitutional means and political consensus,” said UML leader Madhav Nepal.

RPP leader Pashupati Sumsher Rana said the 19 parties were eager to go for elections but only after clearing constitutional hurdles and building national consensus.

“Declaration of polls by sidelining alternatives given by CA chairman and other parties is against the constitution and past agreements. It has pushed the national politics towards clashes,” the 19 parties said.