Kathmandu, March 7

The CPN-UML claimed that there was a conspiracy to murder all the top leaders of the party in yesterday’s mass meeting on the premises of Gajendra Narayan Singh Industrial Zone.

General Secretary Ishwar Pokhrel said at a press conference organised by the party here today  that the party leaders and cadres were surrounded and attacked when they were returning home after the mass meeting.

Pokharel said participants were attacked with stones and more than 50 petrol bombs. “In spite of these attacks, the UML kept itself away from violent retaliation and even changed the programme venue and entry route,” he added.

The United Democratic Madhesi Front, which instigated its cadres to disrupt UML’s programme, has to take entire responsibility for the incident,” the UML stated in its press release issued at the press conference. The press release stated that UML cadres were attacked even today.

The party said yesterday’s violence was well planned to prevent the implementation of constitution, disrupt the election environment and to create clashes between political parties.

UML had objected to the government’s move to recall security chiefs of Saptari after the incident.

“Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi cannot be free from the liability because his inflammatory speech against the campaign was also a reason behind the incident,” Pokhrel said.

The party also requested the National Human Right Commission to probe the incident. General Secretary Pokhrel also informed that the campaign will resume from Hetauda on March 10.

UML vice chair and former home minister Bhim Rawal said the role of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Nidhi was suspict because as home minister he ought to know the situation on the ground and yet he did not take steps to control it.

Another UML leader Subas Chandra Nembang wondered why his party’s programme was disrupted when it wanted to express its opinion.