National
Left alliance protests against prohibitory order in Bethan
Left alliance carried out protest rallies in district headquarters Manthali and other parts of Ramechhap today following local administration's prohibitory order in the area that barred parties and election candidates from organising election campaigns.Left alliance carried out protest rallies in district headquarters Manthali and other parts of Ramechhap today following local administration's prohibitory order in the area that barred parties and election candidates from organising election campaigns.
Leaders affiliated to left alliance criticised the local administration for trying to snatch their constitutional rights of reaching out to voters for canvassing votes for elections. The speakers went on to accuse the local administration of working on the tune of Nepali Congress that is currently leading the government.
A meeting of district's security committee held on Monday had decided declare Bethan a riot zone from Tuesday in view of possible confrontation as election rallies of left alliance and Nepali Congress scheduled for Tuesday were set to coincide. The decision was later changed from 'riot zone' to restricted zone.
Officiating Chief District Officer Yagya Prasad Sharma had banned any form of mass assemblies and election-related programmes in the area by invoking Section 6 (B) of Local Administration Act 2028.
Following the administration's decision, the left bloc's Election Mobilisation Committee coordinator Dev Shankar Poudel had issued a statement that had asked the administration to quickly recall its decision and ensure the rights of candidates to meet their voters.
Though Bethan is traditionally a Maoist stronghold, huge number of local youths recently joined Nepal Congress after the party nominated Purna Bahadur Tamang (Kancharam) to contest the elections.
In this context, the left alliance candidate Shyam Kumar Shrestha, who is also a minister without portfolio, was barred from entering Bethan. Shrestha has been accused of pocketing commission from development programmes in Bethan.
But defying the restriction against him, Shrestha had planned a “show of strength” programme in Bethan for Tuesday.
To counter the left bloc’s show of strength programme scheduled for Tuesday, the Nepali Congress too had decided to organise its “show of strength” today.
Considering these security threats, the local administration had declared Bethan a restricted zone.
Meanwhile, former lawmaker from CPN (Maoist Centre) Taranath Shrestha has said that Bethan public is in side of left alliance of CPN-UML and Maoist Centre but it was due to few 'goons' who triggered the problem. Saying that barring left bloc's candidate from entering Bethan was not the decision of Behtan's public, Shrestha went on to accused NC of hiring goons for this act.