DHULIKHEL: Two castes within the Newar community clashed in a minor scuffle due to a dispute over a party venue in Panauti on Friday.

The scuffle ensued after members of a Khadgi community that had gone to make preparations for their feast at Ganesh Temple in Panauti for the next day, were stopped by the so called upper castes of the Newar community of Karmacharya, Sonam and Mahajusan.

"People of the so-called upper castes Karmacharya, Sonam and Mahajusan prevented us from organising the party at the venue," Ram Krishna Khadgi, chairman of Khadgi Committee Panauti said. He added that Khadgis were not allowed to organise parties or functions near the Temple even though they were allowed to offer puja there. A meeting between the local administration, Panauti municipality, Khadgi Sewa Samiti and members of Karmacharya community ended inconclusively today. Meanwhile, the members of the Khadgi padlocked the Temple premises. Khadgis and Pariyars of the area are not allowed to organise feasts in the venue.

"We were not allowed to organise a lunch programme even though we were going to highlight the richness of Newar community for our guests from France and Spain few months ago," chairman Khadgi said. Khadgi complained that they were not able to use the

place even though they had helped in the construction of the party venue.