Nepal govt, Maoists on collision course

Normal life in Kathmandu and 11 other cities in Nepal remained affected on Saturday as opposition Maoists held massive rallies in a bid to remove the ruling government, reports Utpal Parashar.

Updated on: May 1, 2010, 23:16:15 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Normal life in Kathmandu and 11 other cities in Nepal remained affected on Saturday as opposition Maoists held massive rallies in a bid to remove the ruling government.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal refused to resign and accused the Maoists of using threats and unconstitutional means to remove the government.

Nearly 300,000 lakh cadres belonging to UCPN (Maoist) gathered at Ratnapark in the capital and resolved to start an indefinite strike from Sunday to form a national unity government.

Shops, business establishments remained closed and public transport stayed off roads as 15,000 security personnel were deployed to ensure that the demonstration doesn’t turn violent.

Since morning, thousands of Maoist workers marched from 18 points in Kathmandu Valley to Ratnapark shouting slogans like ‘dissolve the puppet government, form national unity government’.

Blaming the government of not doing enough to complete the ongoing peace and constitution drafting processes within the May 28 deadline, Nepal’s main opposition party is seeking its removal.

“The government has failed to take the peace and constitutional drafting processes to conclusion,” said UCPN (M) chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.

“As the biggest party in constituent assembly and a signatory of the peace agreement, it is our responsibility to ensure that both goals are achieved.”

In an address to the nation, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal accused Maoists of spreading anarchy and urged them to call off their strike. He stated that the government can’t step down at this critical stage. Though talks are underway between major political parties to end the stalemate, no solution is in sight and the Maoists are expected to go ahead with their indefinite strike from Sunday.

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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