Kathmandu, March 26:

The CPN-UML standing committee meeting today once again called on the Maoists to declare ceasefire and desist from all violent activities as such acts bear negatively on the peaceful movement of the seven-party alliance.

“The violent activities of the Maoists have caused great hardship for the general people and have had adverse impact on the seven-party alliance’s peaceful agitation for total democracy,” said a statement issued at the end of the meeting. The tenth central committee meeting held three weeks ago had also asked the Maoists to opt for a unilateral ceasefire to help create a “positive atmosphere” for the peaceful movement.

The meeting, chaired by the UML acting general secretary Amrit Kumar Bohara, also decided to intensify the seven-party alliance’s agitation and asked the party rank and file and general people to take part in the rally scheduled for April 8.

The meet also raised serious concerns over the beating of hundreds of innocent people at the hands of security personnel at Rauteli Bichauwa village of Kanchanpur district on Friday night. “The latest incident is one among a series of human rights violations by government forces since the autocratic government came to power,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the district committees of the seven-party alliance today took out a rally in Ason protesting against the prolonged load-shedding, shortage of drinking water in the capital and the hike in prices of essential commodities and petroleum products.

Addressing a corner meeting at Indrachowk, UML’s Kathmandu district committee secretary Rameshwor Phuyal said the government was mired in corruption as more than Rs 50 billion had gone unaccounted for since the King took over in February last year. He said the unaccounted money had been misused in prolonging the autocratic rule and suppressing opposition parties. Phuyal also demanded nationalisation of all property belonging to late King Birendra and his family members.

Krishna Sharma of Janamorcha Nepal said the government had lost its common sense after the alliance reached the 12-point understanding with the Maoists. Sharma said the goal of the alliance was to defeat the “autocratic monarchy”.

Speakers also lambasted the government for keeping UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal under preventive detention on “fictitious charges.”