The National Human Rights Commission has expressed its serious concern over continued attacks on leaders and cadres from different parties in various parts of the country and has asked the government to ensure security in the election campaigns.

The national human rights watchdog has claimed that the series of bomb blasts targeting the election campaigns and the candidates suggest security lapses.

Issuing a press statement on Sunday, the commission has said the blasts in Rautahat, Bhojpur, Lamjung, Nuwakot, among others, in which dozens of people were injured, are sheer violation of human rights.

The NHRC statement came at a time when the bomb blasts have continued unabated in the last two weeks, with the government taking no stern actions to contain them. Several cases of blasts carried out with improvised explosive devices, targeting leaders, including Ram Chandra Poudel and Ram Sharan Mahat of the Nepali Congress, Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Barsha Man Pun of the CPN (Maoist Centre) and Sher Dhan Rai from the CPN-UML.

“The commission draws serious concern of the Nepal Government to mobilise all the security agencies. The government should ensure a secured environment for the people to select their representatives,” NHRC member Mohana Ansari said in a statement, adding that the bomb blasts have violated the norms of International Declaration of Human Rights, Constitution of Nepal and the people’s right to elect their representatives in a peaceful environment.

Asking the government to bring the culprits to book and provide free treatment to the injured, the commission has urged the concerned parties to put their concerns in peaceful manner and resolve the issue through dialogue.