Valley
Govt gets rap for barring rallies at Maitighar
Political parties, civil society groups and general public have demanded that the government scrap its decision to designate Maitighar Mandala as a protest exclusion zone.Political parties, civil society groups and general public have demanded that the government scrap its decision to designate Maitighar Mandala as a protest exclusion zone.
Issuing a press release on Friday, Bibeksheel Sajha Party (BSP) and senior orthopaedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC termed the government’s move as undemocratic.
Curtailing people’s fundamental right to assemble in peace is against the tenet of democracy, the BSP has said while questioning the government’s commitment to uphold and honour democratic principles and values.
Dr KC, who is also a staunch crusader against corruption, has urged the government to immediately withdraw its decision. Kathmandu District Administration had declared Maitighar Mandala as a protest exclusion zone last week, in line with the directive issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Under the new rule, which came into force on Friday, people can now only hold protest assemblies at Khullamanch, Tinkune, Bhuinkhel Chaur,Bagwanpau, Pepsicola Ground, Sano Gaucharan Ground and Lainchaur and Siphal Chaur.
By banning people from holding assemblies at Maitighar Mandala, the BSP said the government is essentially declaring the entire city as a prohibited zone.
Maitighar Mandala has remained the city’s most popular site to hold protest assemblies and vigils for many years now. The place is centrally located and it is close to Singha Durbar, the seat of federal government, and several important government agencies.
It was the site of many significant demonstrations from the mass assembly that compelled political parties to register an impeachment motion against Lokman Singh Karki, the former chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, to the gathering staged by Dr KC and his supporters against the web of corruption marring the country’s medical education sector, which eventually led to the undignified exit of Gopal Prasad Parajuli as the chief justice of the Supreme Court.