Kathmandu, August 19:

The Amrit Science College (ASCOL) chapter of the Free Students’ Union (FSU) today staged a protest in front of the ASCOL against the government’s decision to hike price of petroleum products. Binod Bhandari, a student of the ASCOL, was injured in a clash between the students and the police. Yesterday, the government hiked kerosene, petroleum, and diesel prices by five rupees per litre. The students protested by burning tyres in front of the college and stoned the police when they tried to douse the fire. They brought traffic to a halt for nearly an hour in the afternoon. Tek Raj Pacchai, the FSU ASCOL unit chairman, said the students will announce fresh protests against the price hike. The All-Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) also threatened to take to the streets if the government does not review the price hike.

“The government’s decision to hike the price shows its inability to check corruption in the government-owned Nepal Oil Corporation,” stated the student wing of the CPN (ML) in a press release issued here today. The Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus committee of the CPN (UML)-affiliated ANNFSU and the Democratic National Youth Federation today appealed to the students and other members of the civil society to raise voice against the price hike. They also appealed to everybody to fight for a ‘total democracy’. Meanwhile, the ANNFSU Dhankuta district committee has asked the government to review its decision to hike the prices of petroleum products. Labelling the hike a move taken by the anti-democratic government, it has called on all to unite together for the formation of a democratic republic.