Kathmandu/Birgunj, June 7, 2006

Newspapers being sent to Birgunj and some other areas of the Terai from the capital are being burnt almost everyday for the past one week by activists who are demanding Nepal be once again declared a Hindu state.

The activists have been accusing the newspapers of supporting the House declaration that made the country a secular state.

The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) today urged the government to pay more attention to such acts of hooliganism that directly affects the newspapers and journalists.

Talking to The Himalayan Times, general-secretary of the FNJ Mahendra Bista said: “We condemn any activity against the declaration and that victimises newspapers and journalists.”

Meanwhile, supporters of the Religious Awareness Forum today stopped vehicles carrying the Annapurna Post and The Himalayan Times dailies at Parawanipur for almost an hour.

A person who claimed himself to be a supporter of the forum also telephoned THT and AP correspondent Ravi Dahal and demanded the newspapers run the story on the bandh called by the forum on their front pages.

He threatened the forum’s supporters would torch the vehicles and manhandle newsmen if the papers failed to do so. In a statement, the FNJ, Mechi Mahakali Media Society and Press Chautari Nepal, Parsa chapter, condemned the threat and assault against the media.

“The forum supporters have asked us to run the bandh news on our front page and threatened of dire consequences if we fail to do so,” said marketing manager of THT , Ram Chandra Rajbanshi.

MPs seek details of CIAA probe against Koirala, others

Members of Parliament (MPs) today accused the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) of implicating Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala in amassing property disproportionate to his income without any ground.

They also said that the anti-graft body gave Koirala a clean chit without divulging the details.

The MPs were speaking in a programme ‘Ratification of UN Convention Against Corruption’ organised by REMAC, Nepal, in the capital. “The CIAA should make it clear on what ground it accused our leader and why it is not giving details about its so-called clean chit,” MP Ram Nath Adhikary said.

He also accused the anti-graft body of being a weapon of the King during his direct rule and implicating other political

leaders in corruption. Adhikary also demanded the CIAA take action against ministers of the royal cabinet, including Dr Tulsi Giri and Kamal Thapa, who “misused” the state treasury.

MPs Govinda Bahadur Shah and Shiv Basnet also accused the CIAA of implicating leaders in corruption during the King’s rule without strong evidence.