Kathmandu, August 11

Police baton charged agitators who were protesting today against Federal Public Service Commission’s decision to recruit over 9,000 employees for local governments without fully complying with the reservation policy.

Save Reservation Campaign, an alliance of organisations including Tarai Madhes National Council and Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, which has been agitating against the FPSC’s decision to recruit employees at local levels had organised the protest. As many as 19 p r o t e s t e r s , i n c l u d i n g vice-president of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities Govinda Chhantyal, member of Tarai Madhes National Council Kashindra Yadav, chairperson of Dalit NGO Federation Bhakta Bishwakarma, and chairperson of Federal Democratic National Forum Kumar Lingden were arrested by the police from Bhadrakali. They were released in the evening.

Member of SRC Secretariat Ananda Gupta said the police baton charged agitators who were peacefully protesting against the FPSC and federal government for violating inclusion rules. Gupta said the protesters blocked the road when they were prevented by the police from heading towards Singhdurbar.

According to Gupta six people suffered minor injuries when police resorted to baton charge against the protesters. SRC will stage a sit-in at 12pm in front of the prime minister’s official residence in Baluwatar on Tuesday.

According to Gupta, the protesters will also stage a sit-in in front of the residence of chief ministers and chiefs and deputy chiefs of local levels across the country on Tuesday.