Kathmandu: Normal life in Nepal`s western
districts was disrupted on Tuesday as a lesser known Hindu
organisation enforced a two-day shut down in support of its
demand to restore the country as a Hindu state.
Transport services, businesses, markets and
educational institutions remained closed in western districts,
including Dang, Salyan, Rukum, Rolpa and Pyuthan, for the past
two days as Bhishma Ekta Parishad enforced its shut down.
The group underlined its demand for restoring Nepal as
a Hindu state.
Nepal was the world`s only Hindu state until the
interim parliament declared it secular in 2006 after the then
King Gyanendra was forced to give up absolute power.
After the Parliament failed to promulgate a new
constitution last month, which would have institutionalised
Nepal as the secular state, many Hindu groups have stepped up
agitations to seek a referendum to restore the country as a
Hindu state.
It also demanded the implementation of the three-point
deal signed between the main opposition Maoists and the ruling
alliance on May 28 to extend the term of the 601-member
Constituent Assembly.
The three point agreement includes extension of the
term of parliament, resignation by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar
Nepal at the earliest paving the way for formation of a
national government and to push forward the stalled peace
process through consensus.
It said except for the extension of parliament by one
year, the other two key points of the deal are yet to be
implemented.
The political parties are deadlocked over the May 28
deal. Main opposition CPN-Maoist, the single largest party
with nearly 40 per cent of the parliamentary seats, has
claimed to lead a national coalition to rescue the peace
process and frame a new constitution.
However, the ruling 22-party alliance has demanded
that the Maoists should first cooperate in managing the
combatants (integration into the security forces), return
the seized property during the decade-long civil war and
dissolve the paramilitary organisation of the Young Communist
League before leading a new government.
PTI
