Submit your Article

Various political parties have started a protest expressing dissatisfaction over the naming of Province 1. Normal life in Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa districts has been affected due a bandh enforced by the Janata Samajbadi Party and Federal Limbuwan Party among others. Markets and shops pulled down their shutters from early morning in the districts while vehicles stayed off the roads. Janata Samajbadi Party central member Bhim Rai said that they were forced to enforce the bandh after their identity movement was ignored by naming Province 1 as Koshi Province forcefully. Janata Samajbadi Party another leader Sagar Chemjong has warned of stern protests if their demands are not addressed. The parties have mobilized hundreds of cadres on the streets to make bandh successful. Province 1 officially adopted Koshi as its new name on March 1.  

The Supreme Court has issued a show cause order in the two writ petitions filed against CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Giving a priority to the writ petitions, a single bench of Justice Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada on Friday issued the show cause order in the name of Dahal to furnish a written clarification within 15 days, Supreme Court spokesperson Bimal Paudel said. Advocates Gyanendra Raj Aran and Kalyan Budhathoki had filed writ petitions against Dahal. The duo filed separate writs at the Supreme Court demanding a criminal investigation and action against Dahal over war-era cases. While addressing a program held on January 15, 2020, Dahal had said that out of 17, 000 people killed in the Maoist insurgency, 5,000 were killed by the Maoist and he would take the responsibility for it. Aran and Budhathoki had tried to file petitions demanding that the court issue an order to arrest Dahal and punish him for taking the responsibility for 5,000 deaths, but the court administration had refused to do so, claiming that the issue was related to transitional justice. Earlier on Friday, a division bench of Justice Ishwor Khatiwada and Hari Prasad Phuyal ordered the Supreme Court administration to take petitions against Dahal. Then rebels had kidnapped and murdered advocate Aran’s father Tilakraj. Similarly, advocate Budhathoki’s father was displaced. The Supreme Court’s decision has rattled Prime Minister Dahal and his party. They are crying foul over what they say is a conspiracy to corner them by bringing up the conflict-era cases, which ought to be dealt by the transitional justice commissions.  

Visiting British Minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Anne-Marie Trevelyan paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the latter's official residence in Baluwatar on Friday. The meeting between the duo dwelt on a wide range of issues including bilateral relations between Nepal and the UK, according to the Prime Minister's Secretariat. Prior to this, Trevelyan, who arrived here on Wednesday on a three-day visit, attended a ceremony organized on Wednesday at the Hanumandhoka Durbar Square by the British Embassy in Nepal. Her visit marked the 100 years of the signing of a treaty of friendship between Nepal and the UK in 1923, which formalized the relations between the two countries. She also inspected the Arun Hydropower Project. The project has an investment of the British government through the Investment Board Nepal. The British Minister of State is returning home today after wrapping up her visit to Nepal.

A meeting of the Maoist factions has decided to hold a joint interaction and press conference on the issue of war-era incidents. A meeting held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar made the decision to this effect. The meeting has decided to hold the press conference on March 12 and joint interaction on March 14. Civil society leaders, law practitioners, journalists and stakeholders related to the peace process will take part in the interaction. The Maoist factions have become united to conclude the peace process at the earliest and to continue the campaign in favor of the peace process. Talking to journalists after the meeting, CPN (Maoist Center) General Secretary Dev Gurung said that they would confront the activities against the peace process. The Maoist factions have become united after writ petitions were filed against CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Leaders of CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Revolutionary) Maoist, Nepal Community Party and Baigyanik Samajbadi Party among other parties took part in the meeting.