Kathmandu, August 4

The Legislature-Parliament directed Home Minister Bamdev Gautam to tell the House why police suppressed a peaceful demonstration of Dalit communities led by lawmakers at Bijulibazar today.

Several lawmakers today raised concern about the police highhandedness against peaceful demonstrators, injuring 26 protesters, including lawmakers. Dozens of lawmakers, including Agni Sapkota, Deepak Giri, Bhanubhakta Dhakal, Aindra Sundar Nembang, Chitra Bahadur KC, Min Biswokarma, Jit Bahadur Darji, Karna Bahadur BK, Afilal Okheda, Bhakta Bahadur BK and Shiva Lal Thapa condemned the police action.

Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang directed the home minister to address the concerns raised by lawmakers regarding the police highhandedness in tomorrow’s meeting of the Parliament. Sapkota said the home minister should apologise for the police action. Lawmaker Deepak Giri demanded probe into the incident.

UML’s lawmaker Bhanubhakta Dhakal, on behalf of the parliamentary party, condemned the police action in which lawmakers Man Bahadur Biswokarma, Daljit Sripaili and Jit Bahadur Darji were injured.

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Chitra Bahadur KC wondered what’s going on in the ruling coalition, as UML lawmakers were criticising the activities of its home minister.

UML lawmaker Jit Bahadur Darji, who sustained minor injury during the clash with police, accused police of hurling stones at the demonstrators. He demanded immediate release of those arrested, including Min Bahadur Gahatraj.

Another lawmaker, Karna Bahadur BK, who took part in the demonstration, said the police did nothing against people brandishing swords in an anti-secularism rally yesterday but today they assaulted peaceful protesters. BK warned that the government would be responsible for the consequences if the home minister apologise for the police action.