• Nepal’s house gheraoed • Enraged group confronts Sushil Koirala • Maoists deny involvement

Kathmandu, April 29:

Groups of miscreants misbehaved with CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and some other lawmakers, including Nepali Congress vice-president Sushil Koirala, after the session of reinstated House of Representatives ended last night.

Some 35 persons gheraoed Nepal’s Koteshwor residence while he was away for dinner with CPI (M) politburo member Sitaram Yechuri, chanted slogans against Nepal and used abusive language against his wife, Gayetri. They wanted to know why the Parliament did not announce the date for constituent assembly poll. When Nepal returned home after the dinner, the crowd asked him, “Are you in favour of republic?” Policemen stationed near Nepal’s residence did not intervene, claimed UML central committee member Krishna Gopal Shrestha. Another group, who claimed to be members of the civil society, expressed their rage against NC vice-president Sushil Koirala for not making public the decision taken by the House of Representatives, Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsingh KC told THT. “You betrayed us. Why did you not come out of the HoR to make public its decision?” KC quoted them as saying. He said he could not identify them. “Why did you not announce the date for election to constituent assembly in today’s session?” the group asked Sushil Koirala, who was returning to his Baneshwor home along with KC. The group mellowed down only after KC explained the HoR’s decision and its general procedures.

Shrestha said some people threw stones at a vehicle in which UML leaders Pradip Nepal and Subhas Nembang were returning home after the Parliament session. Shankar Prasad Pandey of NC was also misbehaved against while he was on his way home.

The central committee meeting of CPN-UML, chaired by Nepal, today strongly condemned the unruly act at Koteshwor and misbehaviour with the lawmakers.

Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai made a phone call to Nepal today and expressed his concern over yesterday’s incident. “Such acts are not expected by our cadres at this time given the understanding between the alliance and us,” Shrestha quoted Bhattarai as saying. Another Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara also phoned UML leaders denying his party’s involvement.

Meanwhile, the UML central committee meeting decided to go for election to constituent assembly unanimously and establish democratic republic. The party also decided to keep records of the martyrs’ families and make necessary arrangement of medical treatment to the persons injured during agitation. Standing committee member Ashok Rai will head a committee to keep records of the martyrs’ families.

The meeting expressed condolence to the bereaved family of Pradumna Khadka, who passed away while undergoing treatment at a hospital in New Delhi. He was shot at Kalanki on April 20. The party has also asked the government to take steps to curb unruly activities going on in the country.