KATHMANDU, DEC 24 - In a hurriedly called meeting, senior leaders of the five agitating political parties today decided to make the nation-wide protest rally on December 28 a grand success.
Addressing the cadres after meeting, at the UML party office in Balkhu, leaders of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Peoples’ Front Nepal (PFN), Nepal Workers and Peasants’ Party (NWPP) and the Nepal Sadbhawana Party (NSP) unanimously condemned the government’s arrest of three student leaders on charges of sedition and supported the students’ ongoing protest.
Sushil Koirala, general secretary of the NC said that the government committed a grave mistake by apprehending the students.
"The government will be responsible for any untoward incidents following its unconstitutional act of arresting the student leaders," Koirala said.
Coming heavily against the government, Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of the CPN-UML, said that the repression against students would only invite further retribution.
He also condemned the army personnel’s intervention into the students’ rallies. "Army intervention in democracy is objectionable. It will further flare up the movement," Nepal said.
Speaking on the occasion, Lila Mani Pokharel, vice chairman of the PFN, challenged the government to arrest him and chanted slogans against monarchy. "If the government has guts, I challenge it to arrest me and other leaders like me who overtly chant anti-monarchy slogans," Pokharel said.
A task force meeting of the five parties also agreed to take out protest rally on January 3, 2004 and hold mass meetings as part of the movement against ‘regression’ in five key cities – Butwal, Narayangadh, Birgunj, Bhaktapur and Lahan.Posted on: 2003-12-25 05:22

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