ANNFSU demands leadership change in CPN-UML

Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 31:

The All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) today said its parent organisation CPN-UML should move ahead with new agendas and new leadership, who can handle the current situation effectively.

“There is a need of a leader who can lead the movement against the royal takeover and for the restoration of peace and democracy,” said Ram Kumar Basnet, vice-president of the ANNFSU, at a press conference organised to announce the decisions of a two-day central meeting that concluded yesterday.

“The party needs to be reformed and all its activities in the last 14 years should be evaluated.” The meeting announced further protest programmes with a slogan “Joint struggle to end anarchism; human rights and democracy for peace”. The agitation will be peaceful. “There is the need of a leader who can motivate general public to hit the streets against violation of human rights,” said Basnet. “The policies and their implementation need to be evaluated. Erosion of parties’ strength in the last 14 years should be reviewed.”

“There was a mishmash between policies and their implementation,” said Hira KC, central committee member of the ANNFSU. “The party should rise above individual and group interests.” Meanwhile, the local administration has asked the ANNFSU to vacate its office from the famous ‘Rato Ghar’, which they had been occupying since 1990. Basnet said if the government tried to vacate the house forcefully, they would oppose it forcefully. “The government has to close down all the party offices first,” he said.

The meeting endorsed an 11-point proposal for its effective implementation, including release of political detainees and human right activists, withdrawal of security personnel from campuses, plea to the public to take part in street protests against the royal takeover, appeal to the Maoists to let political parties conduct their activities.

The further month-long protest programmes starting April 13 include promotional activities in the first week, discussions with intellectual groups till April 20, organising small meetings, burning effigies, organising rallies and torch rallies till April 27 and preparing for the May 14 huge mass rally. The ANNFSU will organise a huge mass rally on May 14 in major cities of the country.