Curfew reimposed in Kathmandu Valley, Agriculture Minister resigns

Kathmandu: As sporadic protests continued in the capital Kathmandu and outside against the government’s violent reactions to GenZ protest on Monday that took the lives of at least 19 people, local administrations of Kathmandu Valley have reimposed curfew in Kathmandu Valley.

Following the incident, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned from his post, while the Nepali government lifted the ban on social media without any formal notification.

On Tuesday, another Minister in Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s cabinet also resigned, citing the violence unleashed by the state against the Gen Z protestors.

By issuing a statement, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ram Nath Adhikari said on Tuesday that he resigned from his post because he could not continue in the position while witnessing the pain of the nation triggered by state violence.

He said that violence unleashed by the state raised the question if the current government is headed towards a totalitarian system. On Tuesday, sporadic protests have erupted in different parts of the Kathmandu Valley and local administrations have issued curfiew barring assembly of people.

By issuing separate notices, three District Administration Offices (DAOs), under the Home Ministry in Kathmandu Valley, imposed curfew in several locations of the valley from early morning, targeting the key entry points to the core cities.

DAO, Kathmandu, on Tuesday, reimposed curfew until further notice within the boundaries of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, barring people from moving, assembling, demonstrating, organizing gatherings, or staging sit-ins to be effective from 8.30 am.

The local administration of Kathmandu has targeted the key entry points from outside the Ring Road in Kathmandu to prevent people from moving inside the core city areas. During the curfew period, security personnel will facilitate the movement of vehicles providing essential services, including ambulances, fire trucks, hearses, vehicles carrying healthcare workers, journalists, tourist vehicles, vehicles of human rights and diplomatic missions, and air passengers based on air tickets, the notice published early morning reads.

Similarly, the DAO, Lalitpur also enforced the curfew in various locations of the district, citing the possibility of violent activities, riots, or unrest that may affect public peace and security amid demonstrations by different groups.

DAO Lalitpur issued a number of prohibitory orders for different parts of the district, effective from early morning as per the recommendation of the District Security Committee, Lalitpur

All kinds of assemblies, rallies, gatherings, processions, sit-ins, or group movements are prohibited in the designated areas of Lalitpur District, the notice reads.

Similarly, the DAO, Bhaktapur also imposed curfew in different locations of the district, barring protests and assemblies.

Following the seemingly extraordinary violence on Monday, protests have taken place in different parts of the country against the government’s actions, including sporadic Kathmandu in the early morning on Tuesday.

People are expressing anger on social media, calling the Prime Minister KP Sharna Oli-led government ‘Murderer Government.’ Meanwhile, Prime Minister Oli, in a statement on Monday late at night that blamed the infiltration of unwanted groups during the protests resulted in the sad incident.

Meanwhile, several Kathmandu-based embassies of Western governments, including those of Australia, Finland, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, Norway, Germany, and the United States of America, issued a joint statement calling all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalation, and ensure that these fundamental rights are protected.

IANS