Activists demanding justice for Nirmala Devi Kurmi of Banke organized a demonstration in Kathmandu on Sunday.
The demonstrators walked barefoot from Maitighar Mandala to Baluwatar protesting against the appointment of Badshah Kurmi as minister by Nepali Congress in the Lumbini province government. Badshah Kurmi is the prime accused in Nirmala Devi’s murder.
Banke’s activists led by Ruby Khan have been staging sit-ins at Maitighar Mandala since August 9, when they walked from Kalanki to Maitighar.
Activist Khan said they held the barefoot protest march from Maitighar Mandala to Baluwatar as the government did not show any interest in their protests for the past three weeks.
According to activist Khan, Nirmala Devi’s murder case should be taken to court. She said they were forced to stage sit-ins as the victims were not certain to get justice after the main accused was made a minister.
Earlier, protests were called off after the Ministry of Home Affairs and the victim’s family reached an agreement to take the case to court. But the protesters have accused the ruling parties of protecting the perpetrator after the main accused was appointed as a minister.
The protesters have demanded that Badshah Kurmi be removed as minister and Nirmala Devi’s murder case be taken to court immediately. They also want a guarantee of the agitators’ safety.
