• RJP-N cadres said UML wasanti-Madhesi as it had voted against statute amendment bill

Janakpurdham, August 29 A clash broke out between Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal cadres and police personnel after the former protested against the CPN-UML’s programme in Pidari Chowk, Janakpur, today. As many as 16 RJP-N cadres were injured when police baton-charged them. RJP-N cadres, including Lal Kishor Sah, Shiv Shankar Sah, Sanjay Chaudhary, Sarita Kumari Sharma, among others, were injured in the incident. RJP-N Dhanusha leader Sanjay Kumar Singh said Nepal Police and Armed Police Force personnel baton-charged party activists who were staging a peaceful protest. RJP-N cadres and leaders had shouted slogans and burned tyres after senior CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal reached Pidari Chowk to participate in a function. Vehicular movement was disrupted after protesters burned tyres at Pidari Chowk. Female cadres of the RJP-N had protested against the UML and its programme by carrying brooms. RJP-N cadres had reached the UML programme venue to disrupt the function saying that KP Oli’s party had demonstrated anti-Madhesi character by issuing whip to vote against the statute amendment bill in the Parliament. RJP-N Dhanusha leader Parmeswor Sah warned that they would not allow the UML to organise any programme due to its anti-Madhesi policy in the district. “We will not allow the UML to conduct any programme inside Dhanusha. If the party conducts any programme, we will disrupt it”, he warned. Markets were shut after the police charged batons on protesters at Pidari Chowk. Meanwhile, Nepal returned from Janakpur after addressing the programme amidst high security. Nepal termed the country’s statute as the world’s best constitution. “The statute encompasses all the rights for Madhes and Madhesis,” Nepal said.  He charged that a few parties had brought the statute amendment bill in the Parliament to meet their vested interests. Nepal claimed that the new statute had guaranteed all the demands of the Madhesi people. He stressed the need to make UML the first party in Province 2 in the third phase of civic polls. He asked the party rank and file to multiply their efforts to make the UML the largest party at any cost.