Kathmandu, February 13:

Prachanda’s public address in the valley on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of the Maoists’ People’s War did not fail to lure even school students to the Khula Manch today.

More than 1,000 students from around 10 schools in the valley arrived at the venue at 1 pm sharp.

Unlike previous rallies where students were forced to participate, the students this time around said that it was their “interest” in the rally that had dragged them there.

Ashika Khadka, a seventh grader from Guheshwori Higher Secondary School, Sinamangal, said: “I would like to be a politician in future and I am here to gain more knowledge from the leader’s address.” She said around 500 students of grades seven to nine of her school attended the programme.

The rally saw participation of students from schools as far as Kavre, Balaju and Buddhanilkantha.

Krishna Timilsina, a ninth grader from Golden Vision High School, Panchkhal (Kavre) said he was a member of a student’s union and a willingness and curiosity to understand politics better brought him and his friends to the programme.

Most of the students said the desire to see Prachanda in person drew them to the programme. However, they were a disappointed lot. They said they couldn’t take a closer look at the Maoist leader due to the crowd.

“We closed the school today as very few public vehicles plied and teachers and students expressed their desire to attend the programme,” said

Bharat Khadka, an employee of Shree Ganesh Higher Secondary School, Budhanilkantha.

Most private schools,including Galaxy Public School (Gyaneshwor), Milan Vidya Mandir (Anamnagar), Rising Rays Boarding School (New Plaza), observed a holiday due to the mass meet.

Karna Bahadur Shahi, the general secretary of National Private and Boarding School Association-Nepal (NPABSAN), said the schools were closed due to traffic obstructions and delays and not because of pressure from the Maoists.