The CPN-UML has condemned an incident in Dang where supporters of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane allegedly burnt the party's flag during his visit there.
RSP supporters were gathered to welcome Lamichhane at Birendra Chowk in Tulsipur on Thursday evening. Some of them reportedly chanted slogans against UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and set fire to a flag bearing the UML’s election symbol, the sun.
UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel described the act as "anarchic behavior."
"Anarchy and aggression are not novelties; they are crimes. Those who hurt the faith of others by burning their flag do not deserve respect. The public will reject such elements through the election," he said.
Pokharel is also a candidate for the House of Representatives from Dang-2.
Speaking to Setopati, Pokharel added that the party would file a formal complaint regarding the incident with the Election Commission and the local administration.
UML Dang has also denounced the act.
Issuing a statement, District Chairman Shiva Kumar Acharya said that the incident was an attack on the faith and sentiments of UML supporters. He demanded that those involved in burning the flag be brought to justice.
Also, the UML-affiliated student union (ANNFSU) and youth wing (Youth Association) met with Chief District Officer Bishwa Prakash Aryal, submitting a memorandum demanding legal action against the guilty within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, RSP District Chairman Binaya Ghimire claimed that "infiltrators" were responsible for burning the flag to create a misleading atmosphere.
"RSP believes that after seeing an enthusiastic crowd gathered on the roads to welcome President Rabi Lamichhane as he arrived in Tulsipur of Dang from Surkhet, some infiltrators and undesirable elements panicked and tried to create confusion," he said.
