Kathmandu, March 13:

Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat today said that the government would move a legislation proscribing general strikes as a political protest in the light of what is happening in the Tarai .

“The government is even thinking of introducing a law that would prohibit holding of forceful strikes and other forms of protests till the election of constituent assembly held,” he said, while speaking at Reporters’ Club toady.

He said that disturbances in the forms of protests could not be tolerated when the country is going through a transitional period, and we should first come up with collective agenda, to hold the election of constituent assembly free, fair and in time.

According to him, the country could have witnessed economic growth by five per cent if we did not have to face the unrest in the Terai. “At the same time, the people are not going to support the bandh callers any more as they have seen that the demands of the forums are not clear,” he said.

Dr Mahat also said that since all the arms have been stored and registered in the cantonments, not a single unidentified arms should be seen in any part of the country.