Kathmandu, May 25: Hindu groups opposed to the
government's decision to declare Nepal a secular state today
blocked roads and burnt copies of a state-run newspaper during
a strike called by them in the southern industrial town of
Birgunj.
Transport services were disrupted in Birgunj, which lies
on Nepal's border with India, after the Hindu groups blocked
roads to protest against the government's decision, witnesses
said.
They also burnt copies of 'The Kathmandu Post' because it
carried an article that supported Nepal's renaming as a
secular state instead of a Hindu kingdom, the paper reported.
It said they stopped a vehicle carrying 1,700 copies of
the newspaper and burnt all of them.
In a separate development, all medical services, except
emergency, were closed across Nepal today in protest against
attack on health institutions over the death of a patient in a
Kathmandu nursing home due to shortage of oxygen cylinders.
Angry over the patient's death earlier this week, a mob
vandalised the private hospital the person died. The hospital
management later announced Rs 2.5 lakh compensation to the son
of the deceased.
Nepal Medical Association (NMA) had called for closing
down all medical services except emergency across the
country demanding investigation and action against culprits
involved attacks on Lumbini Zonal Hospital in western Nepal
and Everest Nursing Home in Kathmandu.
It also appealed to the civil society to help the
government to take action against the culprits.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, May 25, 2006, 00:00