Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has claimed that the government is committed to protecting the basic rights of the people.
Briefing the House of Representatives (HoR) about the police oppression at Maitighar Mandala on Sunday, he said the government is not for constraining the rights of citizens. He claimed that police used normal force as the demonstrators obstructed vehicular movement during the protest against the Guthi (community trust) bill
on Sunday by some institutions, committees and campaign for saving heritage.
He added that police used water cannons and some force after protestors ignored their request to allow vehicular movement and pelted stones at them. "One can demonstrate peacefully. But we don't call the rights to pelt stones and bricks at the security persons, and destroying their faces democratic rights," he argued.
He refuted the allegations of violent oppression and violation of citizens rights, and claimed that the state carried out its duty to maintain law and order, and allow vehicular movement.
He said the government takes moral responsibility for the incident and assured investigation in response to Nepali Congress (NC) lawmaker Bal Krishna Khand who questioned whether the government should take moral responsibility or not after the minister's briefing.
Lawmaker of ruling CPN Pampha Bhusal said Home Minister Thapa has tried to weaken the Newa movement by connecting it with other institutions, and stated that the government should express sorrow at the incident and act responsibly.
The main opposition NC had obstructed the House on Monday protesting the police oppression at Maitighar Mandala and demanded home minister's response. Minister Thapa, therefore, briefed the House about the incident on Tuesday.
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