Nepal Maoists withdraw strike; to continue agitation

Defying the strike called by opposition Maoists, thousands of Nepalese came out to the streets on Friday and urged political parties to end the ongoing deadlock within the next two days, reports Utpal Parashar.

Updated on: May 7, 2010, 22:07:05 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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After bringing the country to a halt for six days seeking removal of the government, opposition Maoists in Nepal withdrew their indefinite strike late on Friday evening.

The standing committee of UCPN (Maoist) took the decision to call off the strike temporarily keeping in view the sufferings faced by common citizens during the strike that started on May 2.

“We have called off the strike because of the plight of people. The party has however decided to continue with our agitation in different manner,” said UCPN (M) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.

He also accused the government of instigating clashes between those for and against the strike. Prachanda stressed that the decision was not taken in view of pressures from international community.

The Maoists have decided to hold mass demonstrations across Nepal on Saturday and picket outside Singha Durbar—the official seat of Nepal government—and administrative offices in districts on Sunday.

Prachanda stated that the next phase of the Maoist agitation would be more intense. A decision on the nature and course of the next phase would be taken at the next standing committee meeting.

Nepal’s main opposition party had launched the indefinite strike since May 2 seeking removal of the government and constitution of a national government headed by them.

While the Maoists were sticking to their demand of the Prime Minister’s resignation as a pre-condition to call off the strike, ruling parties had refused to bow down to such unconstitutional threats.

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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