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Scores injured as police intervene into seven-party protests in Banepa

Police arrested several opposition protesters from a rally in Banepa, Kavre district, Wednesday. Nearly a dozen demonstrators were injured as police indiscriminately baton charged to prevent them from entering into the ‘restricted area’, reports said.

Carrying flags and banners, hundreds of seven-party activists marched the streets of Banepa, demanding immediate restoration of democratic process. Police intervened into the rally, which began from Arniko Auditorium, as soon as it arrived at Teendobato Chowk. The scuffle went on between the police and angry protesters for quite some time, reports from the district said.

Addressing a gathering prior to the rally, leaders of the seven-party alliance said their movement would continue unless full democracy was restored in the country. The speakers also came down heavily against the Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) for “waging political vendetta”.

“It [RCCC] is turning a blind eye towards tainted men in the royal administration whereas it is hell-bent on harassing the leaders of democratic parties,” said Keshab Badal, Standing Committee member of the CPN (UML), a major ally in the seven-party alliance.

Nepal Workers and Peasants Party chairman Narayanman Bijukchhe and former parliamentarians from Kavre district also addressed the gathering.

The seven-party alliance on Tuesday decided to launch fresh protest programs. Alliance sources said that along with Kathmandu-centered agitations, the parties would make fresh bid to step up international pressure on the royal administration to start the political process. nepalnews.com mbk June 29 05