Kathmandu: The Maoist cadres attacked the
house of a senior Nepali Congress leader as the former rebels
laid siege to the capital on Tuesday in a political standoff with
the government.
A group of Maoist cadres stormed the house of Prakash
Man Singh and pelted stone at the building that also has a
restaurant for defying their strike this evening, a police
official told.
They broke window panes of `Delicious Day` French
restaurant at 8 pm, he said. However, nobody was injured in
the incident.
A police van rushed to the restaurant complex and
security has been beefed up in the area after the incident.
The senior leader, who resides in an adjoining
building in the complex, was unhurt.
The Maoists attacked the restaurant as it remained
open after 8 pm, the deadline set by the former rebels for all
shops and restaurants to shut down in the evening.
The Maoists` crippling strike began to take a toll on
the people and led to short supply of essential food items in
the capital today.
Tens of thousands of Maoist activists wearing red
t-shirts formed a human chain to lay siege to the capital. The
agitation shut down most transport, schools, and businesses,
grinding daily business down to a standstill as Maoists cadres
staged mass rallies and threatened anyone who defied the
anti-government campaign.
The government started evacuating scores of tourists,
mainly foreigners, stranded by the strike out of the capital.
Local official said scores of tourists, mostly Indians, were
escorted out of the town by armed police.
"We have been organising a shuttle bus service for
tourists, to evacuate those who want to leave the country," an
official said. "Many have already left the city. The
protesters have not targeted tourists or vehicles carrying
tourists."
The Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and the Nepali
Congress, the two main constituents of the ruling 22-party
coalition, today supported the embattled Prime Minister as it
asked him not resign under Maoists` pressure.
The Prime Minister should not resign under pressure
from the street agitation by the Maoists, said Gopal Man
Shrestha, the Vice-president of the Nepali Congress, after the
key meeting.
The Maoists, who have around 35 per cent of the seats
in parliament, want the government disbanded, followed by
the formation of a new coalition government led by them to
rescue the peace process and draft a new constitution.
PTI
