Demonstration on Saturday

Kathmandu, Jan 20 - The central coordination committee of the seven political parties’ people’s movement for democracy has decided to hold a grand demonstration at Basantapur at 2 pm on Saturday after their pre-scheduled protest at the same venue on Friday was foiled due to the imposition of day-long curfew in Kathmandu.

A press release issued by the Nepali Congress this evening called on people from various walks of life to participate in the demonstration. It also called on all leaders of the party from the central level to the local level in the wards, and leaders and activists of the sister organisations for compulsory participation in the demonstration.

main while Security personnel on Friday afternoon arrested at least 16 leaders and activists of the seven political parties from a motorcycle rally organised here against the municipal polls scheduled for February 8.

Arrested came out in Butwal, police said. Earlier, the rally passed through different parts of the city.Similarly, nine demonstrators were arrested Dang from a similar protest rally in Dang. Similar rally was held in Chitwan also.Demonstrations were also held in major market centres outside the valley including Pokhara and Nawalparasi.

In Rajbiraj activists of the seven student unions waved black flags to Minister for Local Development Tanka Dhakal who arrived here to participate in an interaction on municipal polls. The police arrested three activists including district member of Nepal Students' Forum (Anandidevi) Shambhu Yadav.Earlier, police arrested chairman of the Free Students’ Union of the Mahendra Bindeswori Multiple Campus Sameer Jha, FSU member Mithilesh Mishra, Dinesh Kumar Yadav of the Nepal Student’s Union, district vice-chairman of NSF (Anandidevi) Binod Mandal and Ghananda Yadav of NSU (Democratic) before the minister’s arrival.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress has called a Biratnagar bandh on Saturday to protest the massive arrest of political leaders in Kathmandu.