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Tens of thousand Nepali people rally demanding end of Maoist strike

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, May 7, IRNA -- Tens of thousands of local residents including businessmen, lawyers, doctors, engineers, journalists and intellectuals Friday poured out into the streets of Nepalese capital demanding that the Maoists end their crippling general strike.

In the largest protest against the Maoists imposed strike since it began on Sunday, the people converged at Basantapur Durbarsquare in the heart of the capital city, Kathmandu Friday as thousands of policemen in riot gear manned the thoroughfares to prevent violence.

Asking the Maoists to withdraw their imposed shutdown to pressurise the government to resign, the rallyists called on all political parties to forge a consensus and find a way out by peaceful means and dialogue, PTI reported.

Shouting and carrying banners "enough is enough", the rallyists said people want no more strikes, shutdown and agitations.

In a sharp dig at the Maoists, the speakers at the rally said the Maoists through their strike were keeping "28 million Nepalese people hostage".

Today's outpour, followed smaller clashes and confrontations in the capital and outlying districts over the last two days as the Maoists called indefinite strike entered its sixth day paralysing life and movement in the country.

The strike has led to essential supplies including foodstuffs and medicines running low and left thousands of tourists stranded in the absence of movement of public transport.

Chanting "we want peace and constitution" the rallyists said political parties should come to the negotiating table to break the political impasse.

Addressing the rally, President of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries Kush Kumar Joshi said "we don't want strike and shut downs, what we need is peace and consensus".

The peace rally was organised with massive public participation despite Maoists' threat.

The Maoist cadres have obstructed people at different places to prevent them from participating in the rally.

Two people were also injured as the Maoists beat them up for participating in the peace rally.

Meanwhile, the Maoists have announced that they will allow four-hour relaxation after 6 pm to allow market to open to enable people to purchase food and other essential commodities.

The decision came after the villagers threw away vegetables on the road as they were unable to sell them in the market.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal had earlier said that he was ready to find a solution through dialogue and asked the Maoists to seek solution through proper parliamentary procedure instead of seeking to change government through street agitation.

Meanwhile, there were reports of clashes between the Maoists and the peace rally organisers in different parts of the capital including Ratnapark, New Road, Kopundole, Mangalbazaar and Bhrikuti Mandap leaving at least a dozen people injured including Maoists, policemen and other civilians.

Curfew was re-imposed in Dhankuta town in eastern Nepal while local people have started opening markets in Saptari and Birgunj in southern Nepal defying the strike.