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Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO)  has declared the sensitive stretch between Maitighar Mandala and Baneshwor area a prohibited zone for 30 days starting Monday. 

The stretch covers Padmodaya Mod-Singhadurbar (West Gate), Supreme Court-Maitighar Mandala and Maitighar Mandala-New Baneshwor. 

Clause 6 (3A) of the Local Administration Act, 2028 bars the congregation of more than five people at a riot-hit area or if there’s a possibility of riots in an area. 

The reading of the ‘riot act’ comes after the DAO made it clear that it won’t let neither Durga Prasain (a pro-royalist) nor Mahesh Basnet (a CPN-UML leader) organize demonstrations at the nerve center of Maitighar Mandala, given concerns related to peace and security. 

In reference to the rival groups’ plans to ‘show their respective strength’ simultaneously at Maitighar Mandala on Nov 23, Assistant Chief District Officer Rabindra Prasad Acharya told ApEx earlier that they won’t allow either of the protesting party to organize their programs at Maitighar Mandala, given its proximity to major hospitals, ministries, courts and schools. “We won’t allow the opposing sides to organize programs at the same place, time and date,” he added, “We have told them to conduct their programs at separate venues.”

In line with the DAO’s decision, the UML-aligned Yuva Sangh has relocated their demonstration at Tinkune. However, Prasain’s side has not responded to DAO’s ruling yet.

Acharya said the DAO was in constant contact with both sides, and the latter were okay with separate venues for their respective programs. “We will ensure security for both sides,” he said. 

The Yuva Sangh has announced a ‘demonstration of youth and students against the government and anarchists’ on Nov 23, while Prasain plans to launch a ‘nation, nationality, religion, culture, and civil protection campaign’ at the same time and place, giving rise to fear of clashes.

Of late, Basnet and Prasain, a former leftist leader, have come to blows, verbally, pointing at worsening relations between the two political forces. The UML expressed dissatisfaction with Prasain after his statement alleging UML Chair KP Oli’s ‘huge investments’ in Cambodia. Prasain has also charged that Basnet was behind a recent incident where a youth painted black soot on his face. On his part, Basnet has blamed a group for creating obstructions at the behest of Prasain while he was heading to Jhapa for attending a program.

In view of possible clashes between the two sides, the Home Ministry has held discussions with Chief District Officers (CDOs) and police chiefs of all three districts of the Kathmandu valley.

Spokesperson at the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, SP Dinesh Raj Mainali, said CDOs, who chair respective District Security Committees, were working in close coordination to ensure security. “We have been closely monitoring the developments and assessing security threats,” he said, adding that their focus will be on keeping the peace. 

Yuwa Sangh Nepal, the youth wing of the CPN-UML, and controversial businessman Durga Prasain will not be allowed to hold protest assemblies at Maitighar on Thursday (November 23).

The District Administration Office, Kathmandu has decided not to allow both sides to organize programs at Maitighar Mandala.

Assistant Chief District Officer of the District Administration Office Rabindra Prasad Acharya said that the decision has been made to not allow any groups to organize assemblies at Maitighar Mandala on Thursday.

He said that both the groups have been informed about the decision.

“We held a meeting with both sides. We have already told them that they will not be allowed to organize protest activities at the same place,” Acharya said.

Yuwa Sangh and Durga Prasain have been saying that they will hold programs at Maitighar on Thursday.

Saying that there could be a security threat if both sides organize  programs at the same place, Acharya said that the Administration has asked both sides to look for another place.

He said that the Administration will designate a suitable place for both sides to organize programs.

The world is witnessing AI or high-tech warfare rather than traditional warfare, be it in Russia-Ukraine or Israel–Palestine conflict. A war that does not defend humanity and human civilization is a cold-hearted crime.

If the Israel-Palestine war is escalated for destabilizing the Middle East or shattering China-initiated Gulf unity, the outcome would be costlier than in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Libya.

Massive US funding on war in Ukraine and Israel could trigger divisions within alliances like the EU, apart from affecting the outcome of US election 2024 and impacting the Ukraine war. It would leave a stronger precedent on the Taiwan issue at a time when China is taking advantage of a waning US image for its global ambition. As the world is likely to be divided into two poles, every international conflict would ultimately end in Beijing-Washington negotiations, else slip into WW-III.  So, let’s invest in peace, not in war.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has called a meeting to acquire information on the nation's present economic situation.

The meeting is being held with the ministers of various line ministries, the National Planning Commission, Nepal Rastra Bank, among other bodies to take information on the initiatives for improving the present economic situation and the next steps to be taken, according to Manohari Timilsina, the Prime Minister's press expert.

Although the external sector of the economy has improved in recent times, there is no improvement in the internal economic indicators. Among other problems, low capital expenditure, inadequate loan disbursement, reduced consumer demand, sagging morale of the private sector and domestic productivity not being able to grow are some of the problems seen in the country's economy.

The government has brought various reform programs through its policies and programs for the current fiscal year for improving the economy, but the expected improvement is not seen in the economy due to the unsatisfactory implementation of these programs.