Kathmandu: At least 12 students affiliated to the main opposition parties, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, were injured on Wednesday during the fourth and final day of the anti-government protests in western Nepal.
They were injured in clashes in western Nepal`s Palpa district as the four-hour long transport strike called by the opposition-backed student groups, aiming to dislodge caretaker Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, entered its final day today.
The students affiliated to Nepal Students Union (affiliated to the Nepali Congress), All Nepal National Free Students Union (affiliated to CPN-UML) and All Nepal National Free Students Union-Revolutionary (Breakaway Maoist faction) were injured in the scuffle that ensued after they waved black flags to Education Minister and senior Maoist leader Dinanath Sharma, according to students sources.
The students were showing black flags to the Maoist minister as part of their anti-government protests aiming to change government leadership.
The students are demanding Baburam Bhattarai`s resignation as according to them he had failed to promulgate the constitution and his plans for fresh elections had been quashed by the Election Commission itself.
All the transport services were halted from 6 am to 10 am (local time) today for the fourth consecutive day as the students and youths affiliated to Nepali Congress and CPN-UML imposed the transport strike as part of their campaign to remove Prime Minister Bhattarai and form a national consensus government.
Nepal is facing a political deadlock for the past two months after the Constituent Assembly was dissolved by Prime Minister Bhattarai without framing the constitution and fresh elections were declared to take place on November 22.
The election date has become uncertain after the Election Commission said that it cannot conduct the polls without bringing necessary rules and regulations.
The opposition parties have been intensifying protests to remove Bhattarai from power saying that his government is unconstitutional and undemocratic, which needs to be replaced by a national government formed on the basis of consensus.
PTI
