Kathmandu, August 23

The general strike called by Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) had little impact on the daily life of denizens in Kathmandu Valley today as many of them defied the bandh spontaneously.

NEFIN had called the bandh, demanding delineation of federal states based on identity, secularism and provision of a Janajati Commission in the new constitution. The public and transport entrepreneurs continued with their daily activities and traffic appeared to be normal like any other day.

KATHMANDU: Social Democratic Party on Sunday condemned the government’s attacks on peaceful protests, alleging that such action violated the people’s right to protest.

According to secretary of the party Prem Baram, police on Sunday arrested its chairman Pasang Sherpa, member of the party’s presidium Bisan Rai, coordinator of the Indigenous Nationalities National Youth Force GS Gurung, leaders Prakash Shrestha, Bijay Gupta, Ashok Pariyar, Susan Lama, Anil Sherpa, Durga KC, Manis Gurung, Jiva Gurung and Bom Magar from Maharajgunj. Baram claimed that they were detained at an unknown location.

The leaders were organising peaceful protest in Maharajgunj during the general strike organised by Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities and supported by the Padma Ratna Tuladhar-led Indigenous Nationalities National Movement and SDP. The party also demanded immediate release of those arrested and urged everyone to strongly protest activities of the government, which attack peaceful protests and demonstrations.