KATHMANDU: Newa community on Saturday declared a Newa autonomous state in the capital. The declaration was made in a programme at the Dasharath Stadium in a bid to ensure the demands of Newar community in the new constitution.

The rallies that emerged from different parts of the capital converged at the Dasharath Stadium in the capital and participated in the declaration programme.

Meanwhile, the main opposition UCPN-Maoist declared the autonomous state on December 16 as a part of their third phase protest programme for restoring ‘civilian supremacy’. The Maoists’ chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal made the declaration amid a programme in the capital. The Maoist Newa autonomous state comprises Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts.