HETAUDA, July 22

Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa on Wednesday said yesterday’s assault on his party activists as well as himself in Makawanpur was an outcome of the government’s defeated mentality.

Speaking to mediapersons at a corner meet after Makawanpur bandh called by his party was withdrawn on Wednesday, Thapa said he and his party cadres were attacked by a group of goons backed by political parties.

“Though scores of my party cadres along with me have been assaulted, this is an attack against all those who want the country to be a Hindu state,” he argued.

Thapa said that they decided to withdraw the bandh called for on Wednesday, as Makawanpur Chief District Officer Ram Prasad Thapaliya and Police Chief SP Prakash Jung Karki pledged to take action against the guilty in yesterday’s attack. He claimed that the entire state was united for a Hindu state, he urged that the country be announced a Hindu state to respect the trust and creeds of 94 per cent populace of the country in the statute.

Meanwhile, RPP-N CA member Ganesh Thapa said that they were attacked by political goons, who thought they could not compete with the party. He said, “If we are not safe in Makawanpur, Chief District Officer and Police Chief themselves will not be safe in the district.”

Central member of the party Madhu Adhikari said that they would announce fresh protest programmes if the persons involved in the attack were not punished.

The one-day bandh called by the party was called off at 4:00 pm after bandh enforcers and the administration reached an understanding.

RPP-N had announced the district bandh for on Wednesday when its party cadres were assaulted by security personnel during a public hearing on the preliminary draft of the constitution yesterday in Hetauda.

Market places, transport and trade remained closed during the bandh. A police van was vandalised in Hetauda on Wednesday.

Life was also affected due to RPP-N bandh in Parsa on Wednesday.

Market, industries, educational institutions, transportation among others remained completely closed due to the bandh in the district. Bandh enforcers torched tyres at various junctions from early morning.

RPP-N leaders and cadres staged a demonstration demanding Hindu state in the new constitution in Damauli of Tanahun also.