Scribe freed on parole

DHANGADHI: The editor of New Malika weekly, Nagendra Upadhyay, who had been imprisoned at the Dhangadhi prison for six months on the charge of being involved in Maoist activities, was set free on Wednesday. A meeting of the District Security Committee decided to free Upadhyay on a 15-day parole. Meanwhile, security forces also freed Chunnu Rai Chaudhari, a resident of Gadariya village development committee ward number 1, from the Kailali prison. Chaudhari was arrested from Phulbari-1 on August 23 on the charge of giving donations to the Maoists. — HNS

Plea to free students

KATHMANDU: The Human Rights Organisation of Nepal (HURON), in a press statement issued on Wednesday, has called for the release of four 10th-graders of the Kharanga village development committee ward number 1-based Sri Sharada High School, whom the Maoists had abducted from the district of Sankhuwasabha on December 27. — HNS

NGOs pledge support

Kathmandu: Over a dozen human rights organisations have expressed solidarity with democratic forces, which have been agitating for the sake of total democracy. Issuing a press release following a meeting held here on Wednesday, the representatives of these organisations said: “Solidarity among all democratic forces is a must to fight against the steps made to institutionalise autocracy, which aims at phasing out human rights, democratic system and activities of the civil society.” “Implementing the so-called NGO code is ‘ridiculous’ when the case is sub judice in the Supreme Court,” it stated, adding that the government aims to deny social organisations their freedom. —HNS

Praja Parishad’s plan

Rajbiraj: Acting president of Nepal Praja Parishad Keshav Sthapit today said that the party would present candidates in all municipalities of the country for the upcoming municipal polls. Speaking at a press conference in Rajbiraj today, Sthapit said that it was necessary to participate in the polls to defeat the dictatorial nature of the State, the Maoists and the political parties. “Taking part in the polls doesn’t mean you can’t continue your agitation. The upcoming municipal polls is kind of a referendum. Little can be achieved by boycotting it.” Stressing the need of competent leadership to steer the country towards the path of development, Sthapit said, “The present crisis won’t be resolved only by boycotting the polls and doing little else.” He said the Maoists had reverted back to terrorism after ending the truce. — HNS