Maoist strike cripples Nepal

A nationwide strike on Sunday called by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in protest against police action on squatters on government land disrupted life across the country, reports Utpal Parashar.

Updated on: Dec 7, 2009, 01:23:39 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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A nationwide strike on Sunday called by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in protest against police action on squatters on government land disrupted life across the country.

Offices, schools and colleges and business establishments were closed and public transport remained off roads.

Nepal’s weekly holiday is on Saturday.

Protesters clashed with shopkeepers and motorists in Kathmandu and other towns. They also damaged vehicles and vandalised property.

Four squatters and a policeman were killed in clashes between police and 23,000 landless people who had grabbed forest land in Dudejhari in Kailali district of west Nepal, bordering India, on Friday.

Terming the incident an act of government highhandedness and an attempt to derail the peace process, the Maoists and allied organisations declared the bandh on Sunday.

“If the government continues to use excessive force against the landless, we will come up with appropriate answers,” said Netra Bikram Chand, general-secretary of the UCPN (Maoist).

Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” termed the police action a violation of the three-year-old Comprehensive Peace Agreement and assured support to the landless.

Home Minister Bhim Rawal denied allegations, saying the squatters had been warned to leave and police had to resort to firing in self-defence.

The Maoist leaders deny involvement in “settling” the people in the forest land, as some reports suggested.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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