Nepal's government detained dozens of political leaders and cut off telephone services in the capital on Thursday ahead of an anti-King rally planned by the pro-democracy seven-party alliance on Friday.
Those arrested include Sujata Koirala, Nepali Congress central member and daughter of NC President Girija Prasad Koirala, other central members of the party Baladev Sharma Majgaiya, Shashanka Koirala and Sekhar Koirala, according to the party sources. Some leaders of Nepal Communist Party UML were also arrested.
Security personnel have been deployed at the houses of top leaders including NC President Koirala and CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal from Thursday morning. Telephone lines were also disconnected from the houses of the top political leaders to prevent tomorrow's proposed demonstration.
Mobile and wireless telephones were dead since early morning but landline phones resumed after three-and-a-half hours of disruption.
"The Government is using all sorts of suppressive measures to stop our agitation, but we are determined to hold Friday's massive anti-King rally in Kathmandu," Nepali Congress (Democratic) general secretary Bimalendra Nidhi said.
The Government has also issued 90 days arrest warrants to 16 political leaders, including Nepali Congress central member Narahari Acharya, NC Kathmandu District President Tirtha Ram Dangol, Nepali Congress (Democratic) leader NP Saud and Nepal Communist Party (UML) Kathmandu valley coordinator Yogesh Bhattarai, who were detained during an anti-poll campaign in Kathmandu.
{{/usCountry}}The Government has also issued 90 days arrest warrants to 16 political leaders, including Nepali Congress central member Narahari Acharya, NC Kathmandu District President Tirtha Ram Dangol, Nepali Congress (Democratic) leader NP Saud and Nepal Communist Party (UML) Kathmandu valley coordinator Yogesh Bhattarai, who were detained during an anti-poll campaign in Kathmandu.
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