Chakka Jam in Dang

EFN

DANG: A two-hour chakka jam was staged in Rapti zone to protest the murder of Devi Prasad Dhital 'Hemraj', the chairman of Tulsipur FM on Sunday.

Vehicles stayed off the roads from 11 am to 1 pm in Dang, Salyan, Rukum, Rolpa and Pyuthan districts against the murder of Dhital, who was also the former chairman of Rapti Bus Entrepreneurs' Committee. All offices of the committee have remained closed for three days from Friday.

Dhital was gunned down by an unidentified gang on Thursday evening while he was returning to Tulsipur from Urahari. Though police say investigation is underway, no arrest has been made even four days after the murder.

Meanwhile, a team of lawmakers led by Deputy Speaker of Legislature-Parliament Purna Kumari Subedi met Dhital's family this morning and took notes about the incident. The lawmakers are scheduled to inquire about the incident from the police.

After the meeting, Subedi, speaking at a press meet organised by Press Club of Dang, said a new security policy is needed for the security of journalists, media entrepreneurs and media houses. She assured that such a provision will be incorporated in the new constitution after broad discussions.

Political instability has given rise to criminal activities, she said and asked the local administration to arrest the killers of Dhital and take severe action against the guilty.

Girl commits suicide over failing SLC exams

A girl has committed suicide after failing SLC examinations in Saptari district on Monday. Seventeen-year-old Rinku Singh of Belhi VDC hanged herself to death after coming to know that she failed to pass the exams. Family members said she took the extreme move when there was no one in the house.

PM Nepal furnishes property details

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has presented his property details at the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers

According to the property statement submitted on Sunday, PM Nepal owns two houses, one in Kathmandu and one in his home district Rautahat, land plots and valuables, apart from bank balance of Rs 1.25 million and investments worth over Rs 2.7 million. A portion of his property is in the name of his wife Gayatri.

He owns a three-storey house on a plot of 1 Ropani and 5 Aana at Koteshwor, Kathmandu, and a house in Gaur Munucipality in Rautahat. He also owns a plot of 11 Kattha and11 Dhur in Chandranigahapur of Rautahat.

Additionally, the Prime Minister has a total cash deposits of Rs 1253,118 in different banks. Similarly, the property statement shows 7 tola gold and 500 tola silver under the ownership of Gayatri who used to be an employee of Rastriya Banijya Bank.

Prime Minister Nepal has also invested Rs 10,000 in Nabayug Cooperative while his wife has taken care of the major investments. She has stakes worth Rs 2.7 million in different ventures including Manamohan Memorial Hospital, the newly launched Janata Bank and Rastriya Banijya Bank.

The property statement also mentions that Gayatri drew Rs 914,867 as loan from the bank that employed her.

The CWC will meet Tuesday afternoon.

Maoists not to allow passage of budget until PM Nepal resigns

The main opposition Unified CPN (Maoist) has said it will not accept the government polices and programmes and the budget for the fiscal year 2010/11 until Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal clears the way for the formation of a national consensus government under the party's leadership.

The Maoist leaders made this clear during a high-level meeting with top leaders of Nepali Congress at Singha Durbar on Monday.

In the course of the meeting held to discuss the implementation of the recent three-point deal signed between the three major parties NC, UML and Maoists, senior Maoist leaders said they will not allow the government policies and programmes and the budget for the fiscal year 2010/11 to be endorsed by the parliament until Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal tenders his resignation as per the three point deal that led to the extension of the Constituent Assembly

Talking to media-persons after the meeting, senior Maoist leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha informed that his party has reached a decision not to allow the passage of the government policies and programmes and the budget until the prime minister resigns and made this clear to the NC leaders during the meeting.

The meeting had ended inconclusively after the leaders of the two parties remained adamant on their respective stance.

While the Maoist leaders demanded PM's resignation in order to allow the budget session to be held at the legislature parliament for the passage of the budget for the year 2010/11, the NC leaders wanted the Maoists to fix the number of combatants to be integrated into the state security forces and dismantle the paramilitary structure of their youth wing, the Young Communist League, before expecting a national consensus government under their leadership.

The Maoists had delayed the budget for the year 2009/10 also after obstructing normal business of the legislature parliament for five months demanding, as what the party claimed, "civilian supremacy".

Police intervenes underage marriage

Police barred a bride from entering her bridegroom's house in Kailali district on the charge of underage marriage, state-owned national news agency reported.

A team of police and human rights activists arrived at the marriage venue on Saturday upon knowing that Laxmi Damai (14), the daughter of Bhim Bahadur Damai of Geta VDC-6, has not reached marriageable age and prevented the girl from going to her in-laws' house.

A complaint filed at Area Police Office, Malakheti, against the scheduled marriage between Laxmi and Padam Nepali (16) of Sripur-6 in the district prompted police and Maiti Nepal officials to swing into action.

By the time police and rights activists had reached the marriage venue, all marriage rituals were already performed, including putting of vermilion powder on the parting line of Laxmi's hair - the most important part of the marriage ceremony.

Police and the activists later mediated a written agreement between the bride's side and bridegroom's side, compelling them to allow Laxmi to stay under the protection of Maiti Nepal.

Nembang on mission to summon budget session

KATHMANDU: Chairman of Constituent Assembly Subas Nembang on Monday urged for the implementation of the three point pact reached among the parties to pave the way for the Budget Session of the parliament.

He made the plea during a meeting with CPN-UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal at the latter's residence in the capital.

Expressing concern over the delay in summoning the Budget Session, the CA chairman urged the UML boss to take necessary initiatives to end the political deadlock and forge an agreement among the parties.

Talking to media persons after the meeting, Nembang said that the parties are not even holding any formal talks. "I suggested to the UML chairman to resume the talks," he said, adding, "Khanal is positive and promised to work seriously in this regard."

Nembang held a similar meeting with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Sunday.

Bijukchhe denies demand for govt ouster

BHAKTAPUR: Chairman of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Narayan Man Bijukchhe on Monday said that his party only withdrew support to the government but has not demanded the government's ouster.

Talking to media persons in Bhaktapur, Bijukchhe said, “The withdrawal of support does not mean that we have demanded the government’s resignation.

“We pulled out our support after the government did not fulfill our 18 conditions including our demand for providing uninterrupted drinking water supply, chemical fertilisers, end to load-shedding and maintaining law and order.”

"We have exerted moral pressure on the government to implement the conditions agreed with CPN-UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal," he said.

“The new government should be a majority government. The Unified CPN-Maoist should show majority to form a government,” he added.

Four killed, several injured in Pyuthan tractor accident

Four persons have been killed and several others injured when a tractor skidded off the road in Bangbang VDC of Pyuthan Sunday afternoon.

Three persons died on the spot and the tractor driver died while undergoing treatment at a nearby dispensary, a local Bhima Saru told Nepalnews.com over the phone.

Some of the injured are in critical condition, said Saru. As the site of accident is very remote locals are facing difficulty bringing the injured to the hospital.

Most of the injured are students of Dangbang School.