Kathmandu, February 16
Police in Kathmandu have detained 137 people on Wednesday during anti-MCC protests in Naya Baneshwar and Maitighar areas of the city.
SSP Sudeep Giri, the chief of the Metropolitan Police Range in Kathmandu, says they have been kept at the City Police Office, Bhrikutimandap.
Giri claims they were detained for staging demonstrations in the restricted area outside the parliament building.
“Nine of our staff are injured in clashes. On the demonstrators’ side, one is injured,” Giri informs.
As the government was preparing to table the 2017 MCC deal in parliament seeking its endorsement today, various political parties and other organisations had staged anti-MCC protests.
The government, however, did not table the deal as the ruling alliance partner CPN-Maoist Centre warned of leaving the government.
Nepali politicians and society are virtually divided about the MCC deal as many people argue the deal has some provisions against the national sovereignty and national interests whereas many others think it is a great help for the country’s development. Read more about the long-standing dispute about the MCC deal.
The ruling coalition itself does not have an agreement about what to do with the deal. Whereas Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba wants to endorse it, CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN-Unified Socialist chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal want to amend the deal before ratification.
