Kathmandu. The Communist Party of Nepal (Revolutionary Maoist) has called on the government to immediately release its party cadres and leaders arrested by the police today.

Issuing a press release on Friday, Party Chairman Mohan Baidya pressed the government for release of the party cadres and leaders allegedly detained by the police from various places of Kathmandu during the peaceful protest on Friday morning.

Party leaders including Central Secretariat Member Dinesh Sharma ‘Sagar’, Pawan Man Shrestha, Central Committee Members Sharada Mahat and Prof. Dr. Jagadish Chandra Bhandari along with two journalists among other fifteen cadres were arrested while staging a one-hour vehicular strike called by the party against the arrest of four leaders and cadres.

‘Our party strongly condemns and opposes government’s such domineering act,” the statement issued by the Chairman Baidya reads. “The government has no right to arrest anyone who is staging peaceful protests,” the statement further states.     

The strike was called by the party after the police on Wednesday arrested party’s leaders including Central Committee Member Shiva Ram Yadav, coordinator of All Nepal Independent Students Union (Revolutionary) Ram Nepali, Central Committee Member duo Mahesh Shrestha and Dipendra Sunuwar from Bagbazaar on the alleged charge of extortion.

Meanwhile, the party has also called for whistle rally on Saturday afternoon and Valley bandh on Sunday against the arrest of party leaders.

Likewise, issuing a press release, Revolutionary Journalists Federation Chairman Indra Raut strongly condemned the arrest of two journalists. Police had arrested Federation’s Central Secretariat Member Ransur (Ramesh) Mahatara and photo journalist Jaya Dahal who were reporting about the protest staged by the Revolutionary Maoist.