Pokhara, February 19:

Rallies were organised today in different parts of the nation to protest the King’s message to

the nation, reports said.

A protest rally was organised here against the King’s message on the occasion of the Democracy Day.

The CPN (Maoist) Kaski organised a protest rally in Pokhara. Taken out from the Prithvi Chowk, the rally converged into a corner meet at Chipledhunga after going round the city.

The rallyists chanted slogans against the King and urged the government to announce

the date for constituent assembly elections, the formation of a government in line with the

federal system.

Addressing the meeting, CPN (Maoist) Kaski district secretary Karan accused the King of trying to become active again and called upon eight political parties to remain alert. Eight student organisations also organised a protest rally here.

Imanraj Paudel of the ANNFSU, Lilamani Pokhrel of the Nepal Students’ Union (D) and district secretary of the ANNISU-R, KB Gurung, asked the government to immediately go for a republican system in the country.

Protesting the message, the ANNISU-R organised a protest rally in district headquarters of Syangja today.

District president of the ANNISU-R Subas Poudel said the address is an indication of another coup. Demonstrators also vandalised the statue of late King Mahendra. The CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist), Janamorcha Nepal and the Nepali Congress held a rally in Gorkha against the King’s message. The rallyists chanted slogans against the King and burnt an effigy of King Gyanendra.

The Tanahun district chapter of the CPN (Maoist) organised a protest rally and a chakkajam in Damauli, the district headquarters of Tanahun, causing disruption in vehicular movement on the Prithvi Highway for half an hour. Protesting the address, the CPN (Maoist) organised a chakkajam in Narayangarh’s Pulchowk for half an hour. Before the chakkajam, protesters burnt a photograph of the King.

Enraged by the King’s message, Maoist cadres vandalised the statue of late King Mahendra at Hetauda’s main chowk. They took the vandalised statue around the city in a rickshaw. A Maoist flag was erected on the spot where late King Mahendra’s statue had been erected.

Students, workers, teachers, leaders and businessmen took out a rally against the King’s message in Rupandehi. The rallyists burnt an effigy of King Gyanendra at the Pushpalal Chowk.

The CPN (Maoist) organised a protest rally in Bhairahawa. The rallyists chanted slogans against the King and urged the government to introduce a republican system. Terming the King’s message a conspiracy, the Rupandehi in-charge of the CPN (Maoist), Bamdev Chhetri, said the country will go along the republican path before April.