Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Protest report from Gaighat: Can't trust Kantipur and BBC

Yesterday there were about 3500 people in the largest ever protest rally in Gaighat. The number is my counting. Others say it was about 7000. 20-25% were kids. People from neighboring villages and different parts of Triyuga Municipality had arrived to take part in the rally, but most of them came because of warnings from Maoists and the SPA.

Later, they vandalised the house of vice-chairman of DDC, Ramchandra, for the second time. This time they brought out clothes from the shop in the house and burnt them. The security men didnt arrive until much of the house was destroyed. When they had arrived the crowd was displaced itself. Later another group came protesting. The police didn't intervene but the protestors started pelting stones. As a result the police started beating the protestors, and fired tear gas shells. Soon the crowd of more than 3500 people was nowhere. But still some of them pelt stones hiding on the rooftop, etc.

But to our dismay, we heard Kantipur FM, the only radio that people get to hear 'loud and clear', reporting that more than 200 people were hurt and some hit with bullets, when only about 2-3 people were hurt and none hit with any bullets as no bullets were fired. The BBC reported that police intervened because the protestors were entering restricted area. It is false too. Everything happened in the street, near the house of Ramchandra. And it was the protestors who first pelted stones at the policemen.

We were watching all that happening from inside our house. And the tear gas instead of reaching the protestors reached inside our houses. We were very uncomfortable with this. As there was no internet, and the phone line was disturbed, I couldnt post anything yesterday.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Today it is raining so no such rally is expected to take place. However, about 25 people were rallying early in the morning carrying umbrellas.
I dont know why, in Gaighat, they are not using force. The protestors are doing whatever they want, and yesterday was the first time the police were seen acting strong here.
-raj

Nepali Blogger said...

Thanks everyone for your comments. I hope to keep writing as long as I dont have any problem with the internet connections.
Jai Nepal.
Long Live HM King Gyanendra

Anonymous said...

I appeal to few who can hack the system in Kantipur Publication house. They are hell bent on destroying the pillars of our society, first Monarchy and now they are venomiously going after Royal Nepal Army.

This propoganda tool has no more credibility as a genuine newspaper.