Leaders welcome decision to revive House of Representatives, seek constituent assembly election

Kathmandu, April 25:

Hailing the announcement of the revival of the House of Representatives, thousands of people staged victory rallies across the nation today.

Thousands, including leaders and activists of the seven-party alliance, businessmen and intellectuals, took part in a rally staged in Charikot.

The rally converged into a meeting at Satdobato after passing through the main thoroughfares of Charikot.

Addressing the meeting, district leaders of different parties urged central-level leaders to announce election to a constituent assembly at the earliest and bring the Maoists into the mainstream.

Chanting slogans, thousands of people staged victory rallies in Lamjung. After passing through the major thoroughfares of Besisahar, the district headquarters of Lamjung, the rally converged into a corner meeting at the Bhimsen Chowk. Speakers, including Arjun Parajuli of the NC, Tulsi Narayan Shrestha of the NC-D and Maya Nath Ghimire of the CPN-UML, laid stress on the need to bring the Maoists into political mainstream.

While markets opened in the district today, vehicular movement also resumed. Banks, closed since April 6, also opened.

Some agitators vandalised the house of Lamjung chapter president of the Federation

of National Journalists Nawa Raj Pahadi. Student leaders decided to continue demonstrations until the announcement of elections to a constituent assembly is made, a report from Rupandehi said, adding: “Free Students’ Union of the Butwal Multiple Campus and the Joint Students’ Agitation Committee organised a protest rally in Butwal today.”

Sporting flags and banners, thousands of people staged a victory rally in Birgunj.

Addressing a meeting, district leaders warned the central leadership of the seven parties not to settle for anything less than a constituent assembly. Thousands of people staged victory rallies in Bidur, Battar and Trishuli Bazaar, a report from Nuwakot said, adding that markets were opened and vehicular movement resumed.

About 50,000 people staged a rally, which converged into a meeting at the Mahendra Multiple Campus in Baglung.

Earlier, the Baglung District Administration Office had released eight pro-democracy activists, including MP Pari Thapa.Chanting slogans, political activists took out victory rallies in Kalaiya and Simara.

Activists of the seven parties staged victory rallies in Malangawa, Hariwan, Lalbandi and Ishworpur in Sarlahi. District leaders urged central leaders to meet the Maoists’ demands.

Thousands of people staged rallies in different districts of the far-western region, a report from Dhangadhi said.

Thousands of people from different walks of life took part in a rally at Gaur.

Thousands took part in a rally, which was staged in Pokhara to mark the revival of the parliament, a report said, adding the rallyists chanted slogans demanding a republic and formation of a constituent assembly.

Addressing a meeting, Kaski president of the NC-D Soviet Bahadur Adhikari and Khag Raj Adhikari of the CPN-UML said the movement would continue until elections to constituent assembly were announced.

A victory rally was also taken out in Tanahun Some rallyists vandalised the house of Mekh Bahadur Gurung, of Byas-11. Victory rallies were also held in Jaleshwor, Gaushala, Bardibas, Matihani and Mahottari. In Dhankuta too thousands took part in victory rallies.

Janamorcha men protest House revival

Dharan: The Janamorcha Nepal activists staged a protest rally here on Tuesday to oppose King Gyanendra’s offer to restore the dissolved House of Representatives. They chanted anti-monarchy slogans and termed the offer of house revival ‘a deception.’

At the same time, the seven-party activists staged a victory rally in Dharan to celebrate the house revival. Speaking at a meet following the rally, local leaders hailed the latest royal proclamation as an opportunity to resolve the current crisis.

CPN-UML leader Indra Rai said the movement had served its purpose and the country should now ready itself for an election to the constituent assembly.

NC’s Chandra Prasad Shrestha also emphasised the need of constituent assembly elections. The rally participants, representing over half-a-dozen organisations in Dharan, also warned party leaders not to hanker after power. —HNS