KATHMANDU: Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Sunday condemned the government’s attacks on peaceful protests, alleging that such action violated the people’s right to protest.

According to secretary of the party Prem Baram, police on Sunday arrested its chairman Pasang Sherpa, member of the party’s presidium Bisan Rai, coordinator of the Indigenous Nationalities National Youth Force GS Gurung, leaders Prakash Shrestha, Bijay Gupta, Ashok Pariyar, Susan Lama, Anil Sherpa, Durga KC, Manis Gurung, Jiva Gurung and Bom Magar from Maharajgunj. Baram claimed that they were detained at an unknown location.

The leaders were organising peaceful protest in Maharajgunj during the general strike organised by Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities and supported by the Padma Ratna Tuladhar-led Indigenous Nationalities National Movement and SDP. The party also demanded immediate release of those arrested and urged everyone to strongly protest activities of the government, which attack peaceful protests and demonstrations.