Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 3:

Boarders of the Teendhara Sanskrit Chatrabas (TSC), Ranipokhari, have started a relay hunger strike from today. The strike that started from 5 pm in the evening is being held as a protest against the forceful evacuation of the hostellers on April 24 by the Balmeeki Campus administration.

The hostellers have been thrown out as a disciplinary action, according to the campus administration, which says the hostellers beat up the TSC warden by luring him into a room saying there was some programme organised. However, hostellers say this is just an excuse to throw them out.

Chairman of the Students Working Committee at TSC Nishal Adhikary said, “We will be compelled to announce a strike unto death if the campus administration does not heed our demands.”

The hostellers have put up a five-point charter of demands — all students who have been expelled from the hostel be given accommodation again, an investigation into the so-called incident as announced by the campus administration, proper action be taken against persons who had given false statement regarding the incident, compensation be provided to victims thrown out, and amendment of the hostel ‘by-law’.

Meanwhile, following a meeting today, the seven students’ union announced a week-long nationwide protest programmes demanding restoration of democracy and fulfilment of their five-point demand.

The programmes include organising protests on May 6, burning of effigies as a protest against the February 1 move on May 8, a whistle rally on May 10, a torch rally on May 12, and an educational strike on May 13.

The students’ demands include restoration of democracy, removal of security personnel and spies from

campus premises, release of political detainees, probe into the Mahendranagar shootout and action against the culprit, release of leaders detained by the Royal Commission for Corruption Control.