South Asian News Network

Kathmandu, April 11: Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak has said the arrests of those responsible for the violent demonstrations by pro-monarchists on March 28 continue to take place. During a meeting of the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee, the House of Representatives today, the Minister said the main accused in the demonstrations, Durga Prasai, has been apprehended. He added that the Council of Ministers has already decided to ensure free treatment for those injured in the demonstrations. “The government will bear the cost if the need to buy medicines outside the hospital pharmacies,” he said. “I have visited injured at hospitals.” According to the Minister, the process has been initiated to provide compensation of Rs one million each to the families of two killed in the demonstrations. He described the Tinkune demonstrations as the violation of the Constitution. He further asserted that there is a space for expressing dissatisfactions in the constitutional and democratic system, but there is no excuse for seeking an alternative to democracy and for the regression. The government has taken the Tinkune incident seriously. Such incident must not recur, he added. “We are clear that the incident was predetermined and is a crime capable of spreading terror and anarchy.” —