Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 23:

Eight student unions affiliated to various political organisations today announced protest programmes against the February 1 royal takeover and a hike in the price of cooking gas.

The student bodies have decided to present a memorandum to the Nepal Oil Corporation tomorrow to protest the price hike. They have also decided to hold a joint meeting with former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, NC member Prakash Man Singh and other detainees, who are being treated at the Military Hospital. Their other plans include organising torch rallies in prohibited areas throughout the country on July 1 and burning the effigy of autocracy on July 7. They have also decided to hold public hearing programmes in Jhapa (July 10), Biratnagar ( July 12), Rajbiraj ( July 14), Janakpur (July 24), Chitwan (on July 26), Baglung (July 28), Pokhara (July 29), Butwal ( August 7), Gorahi (August 9), Nepalgunj (August 11) and Jumla (August 21).