Dhangadhi, June 12:

Cadres of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) in the Far Western Development region today warned of staging a nationwide general strike if the Maoists did not return the land and property they had seized during the insurgency period.

Presidents of the NC-D committees in nine districts of the Far Western region, chiefs of the NC-D affiliated sister organisations and Members of Parliament issued such a warning through a memorandum today.

NC-D Kailali president Dirgharaj Bhat, Kanchanpur president Bahadur Thapa, Darchula president Jagadish Pal, Baitadi president Shivraj Bhatt, Bajhang president Ramesh Bhandari and Bajura president Devraj Joshi;

Members of Parliament Tek Bahadur Chokhyal, Sushila Swar, Ram Janam Chaudhari and chiefs of NC-D affiliated sister organisations sent the memorandum to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala through Kailali Chief District Officer Ganesh Bahadur Khatri today.

“Though the Maoists have joined the interim government, they are still seizing civilians’ land and property,” the memorandum said.

The Maoists had seized land and property belonging to 282 NC-Democratic cadres during the insurgency period, it said.