KAILALI, May 8: All Nepal Independent Students’ Union-Revolutionary close to CPN (Maoist) led by Netra Bikram Chand has enforced an indefinite educational strike in Kailali beginning from today.

The students’ union claimed that the strike was against the arrest of student leaders Bimal Dhami and Ramesh Saud, following an incident of vandalism in course of the joint agitation of students unions against the fees hike in private schools on May 5.

“The two are facing a false case in the District Police Office, Kailali in connection to the vandalism and abuse against RC Yadav, PABSON’s Kailali former chair in course of the general strike on May 5,” the Union’s vice-president for Kailali district, Jhalak Bishwokarma claimed in a press statement that was issued on the eve of the strike.

“The student leaders arrested in connection to the May 5 incident are totally innocent,” the statement added, demanding their immediate release.

Kailali Police Spokesperson and Deputy Superintendent of Police Bir Bahadur Budamagar said Saud is under trial on a public offense case while police have not arrested Dhami as claimed by the agitating student union. RSS

KATHMANDU: The CPN-Maoist, on Thursday, reiterated its devotion towards the political principles of Mao Zedong.

The party organized a special program at its office to marking Mao’s 120th birth anniversary.

Issuing a press statement, the party recalled contribution of Mao in China’s communist movement. “By contextualising communism in Chinese society, Mao opened ways for world communist revolution.”

The statement further stressed on the need to implement the principles of Mao in Nepali context for taking the nation ahead.

Kathmandu: Politburo meeting of the CPN-Maoist is scheduled to be held today. According to the CPN-Maoist source, the meeting is discussing on whether the party should participate on the constitution drafting process. The meeting scheduled to be held at its party office Buddhanagar will also sort out the agenda that the party should raise during the meeting with other political parties including Nepali Congress and CPN (UML). CPN-Maoist leaders have been publicly saying that their party is likely to join the constitution drafting process if the consensus was forged. However, it has not given up its demand of round table conference. CPN-Maoist politburo member Dharmendra Bastol said that the meeting would review its protests during the CA polls. The meeting will also dwell on the post-polls strategies of the party, he added.

Kathmandu: CPN-Maoist chairman Mohan Baidya has accused that branding them as ‘terrorist’ were intended to defame their ‘peaceful protest’ by the foreign and national regressive forces. He has also claimed that anti-national and anti-people forces were conducting the violent activities to suppress them and slander his party.
Releasing a press statement today, Biadya claimed, “Some untoward incidents occurred in the banda period when the state tried to facilitate the defiance of the banda by misusing the state resources.” Baidya has also lamented the incidents occurred during the course of the banda programme. Likewise, he has also urged the protestors to remain alert and careful about all sorts of ‘conspiracies’.  He has reaffirmed his commitment to make the banda successful until 5 PM of November 5, the polling day, in peaceful, strong and effective ways.
However, Baidya, in his statement, has said that there was no alternative of dialogues and consensus among the parties. He has urged the government, political parties and civil society to take positive initiative towards forging new national consensus.

A bomb detonates along the Prithvi Highway on Thursday morning. No causalities were reported. (Thaneswar Guragai./Facebook)

KATHMANDU: The agitating 33 political parties led by the CPN Maoist has decided to opt for offensive from Tuesday to make its ongoing anti-Constituent Assembly member elections campaign effective.

A meeting of the alliance members in the capital on Monday decided to launch semi-covert operations and to even give arrests in doing so.

Chairman of Bahujatiya Samabesi Party, Shankar Thapa said that leaders have decided to underground after concluding that the government was preparing to arrest leaders affiliated to the alliance.

Similarly the alliance has decided to organize mass rallies across the nation to understand the public sentiment and to mobilize them against the CA elections.

The alliance has concluded to break through all restricted areas and zones during the election time and stage protests.

The meeting concluded that the government has presented itself in a regressive form and concluded to foil the CA elections at any cost.

It has been learnt that one of the injured is a 4-year-old girl Manju Shrestha. Her mother Nitu has also been injured in the incident. Among the other injured identified are the microbus driver Ram Bahadur Thapa, Dhwoj Singh Bista, Apsara Basnet, Sanu Babu Basnet, Manju Pant and Binod Bahadur Chand.

The injured have been rushed to a nearby Grande Hospital. According to hospital authority, two of the injured have sustained 20 percent burnt on their body and are in a critical condition.

Speaking to Aveneus television over phone, SSP Subodh Ghimire, Chief of the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Range said police have launched a search for the culprits involved in the bomb attack. The culprits will soon be behind the bars, he said.

The deadly attack comes close on the heels of announcement of CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidhya that the dissenting alliance headed by him would come up with sterner means of protests and demonstrations if public and government continue to deny the strike called by them to foil the CA elections on November 19.

Kathmandu: Second rung leaders of three major political parties -UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (UML) – have vowed to defy the banda programme imposed by the poll opposing CPN-Maoist-led 33-party alliance from tomorrow, while a CPN-Maoist leader has warned not to dare it. Speaking at a face-to-face interaction programme organised by Reporters Club Nepal in capital today, UCPN (Maoist) leader Devendra Poudel ‘Sunil’ said that his party will continue with its election campaigning programme including a motorcycle rally irrespective of banda programme of the poll-opposing alliance. He further claimed that the vehicular movement will resume from tomorrow in defiance of the strike. Poudel said it was not time to argue against CA election because all preparations have been made to hold the election.
Likewise, NC leader Minendra Rijal said that people will come to the street defying the banda of the CPN-Maoist. Arguing that the CPN-Maoist does not want the election to happen in Nepal, he claimed such communist party will be wiped from the country.
Similarly, CPN (UML) secretary Yubaraj Gyawali said his party will also operate vehicles for election campaign. “Vehicles will ply in the street from tomorrow, we should foil the strike,” said Gyawali.
However, CPN-Maoist secretary Dev Gurung has warned to not dare to defy the banda programme. He argued that the occurrence of some incidents is result of the conflict after two forces move ahead by ignoring the other side.

KATHMANDU: The Nepal band called by the 33 dissident political parties led by the CPN Maoist started bomb blasts, clashes with police and torching of vehicles across the nation on Sunday morning.

Cadres affiliated to member parties of the alliance took to roads to block the roads, vandalized vehicles and explosives were recovered from various places. The alliance had called today’s general strike to foil the upcoming Constituent Assembly member elections slated for November 19.

Here are the udpates from across the nation.

Bhaktapur– A public passenger bus ( Na 3 Kha 3711) vandalized and torched.

Pokhara: A taxi and motorcyle vandalized at Zero Kilometer.

Kavre: A bus ferrying passenger attacked with a petrol bomb. No human casualites, bus managed to get away.

Dolakha: Two stationary buses parked near district headquarters vandalized and torched.

Dharan: District Administration Office’s vehicle vandalized and torched.

Kathmandu: Nagarik Newspaper’s vehicle (Ba 4 Cha 4872) vandalized near Bhaat Bhateni store in Koteshwor.

Nepali Army has been mobilized in Kathmandu since morning to maintain peace and security.

Bombs reccovered from multiple places.

Kathmandu: Thapathali chowk, New Baneshwor Chowk, Balkhu, Dhapasi (two bombs), KMC-22 ward office,
Lalitpur- Lalitpur-22,
Sirah: Lahan,
Kailali: Geta based food factory
Nuwakot: Ratamate and UCPN Maoist’s district office.
Rasuwa: At Dhunche.
Mahottari: Laxminiya-3 based sub-health post’s premise.
Chitwan: Two bombs blast

Police continues to detain band enforcers:

18 detained in Kathmandu
14 detained in Lalitpur

Police recovers petrol bombs and khukuris from them.

Police forces public transport buses to ply on the street despite protests from owners.

FNCCI has also urged entrepreneurs to defy the call for band.

Though the 33 party alliance had called for ten day general shutdown initially, an emergency meeting of the alliance on Sunday had limited shutdown only to Monday and has announced to halt transportation from tomorrow onwards till November 20.

Though they have said press, human rights, and other emergency vehicles will be allowed to ply on the street, the alliance has denied permission to tourist vehicles for plying on the roads.

KATHMANDU: A day after Nepal government announced its “Maoist-proof” plan for holding Constituent Assembly member elections, bombs placed by the CPN-Maoist and clashes between political parties, stole away citizens’ peace.

A bomb was detonated at a CA election regional mass meeting of Nepali Congress in Hatiya of Makwanpur-1.

Of the two bombs placed at the the venue, one was disposed by the Nepal Army’s bomb squad. No casualities have been reported.

A bomb was found placed at Farseni along the Gorahi-Tulsipur highway section on Sunday morning. A Nepal Army bomb squad from the 19th Brigade had disposed the bomb.

Along with the bomb, transportation to and from the district had come to halt due to the band enforced by the CPN-Maoist’s district chapter.

Similarly, morning hours in Champapur and Shivapur highway towns of Nawalparasi district remained tense after bombs were found and disposed by the Nepal Army bomb disposal squad.

Though officially no-one has claimed responsibility of planting the bombs, the bombs were found in areas where UCPN Maoist leaders were to pass-by for attending electoral campaigns.

Along with the bomb and band terror of the CPN-Maoist, that were more or less anticipated, locals in some places across the nation had a tough Sunday morning following clashes between CA election contending parties.

CPN UML and UCPN Maoist cadres clashed in Sindhuli-1 constituency while both were participating electoral campaigns.

The clashes were dispersed through police intervention. 5 people are reported to have been injured in the incident.

In Jaljala of Sankhuasabha-1, UCPN Maoist’s CA election candidate Rajendra Kiranti was assaulted by unidentified armed personals. The police recovered an SLR Rifle, 11 bullets and materials for preparing bomb from the area in follow up search.