Kathmandu – Police charged cadres of the Hindu-royalist Rashtriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N) with batons on Sunday in New Baneshwor.
Police resorted to baton-charging when the RPP-N cadres tried to enter into the restricted zone around the Constituent Assembly (CA) building.
According to Mohan Shrestha, joint spokesperson of the RPP-N, at least five of their cadres have been injured in baton-charging by police.
The RPP-N had organised a rally from Maitighar Mandala to the CA building in New Baneshwor, demanding referendum on republicanism, federalism and secularism.
Although Nepal's Interim Constitution-2007 and the first CA has recognised Nepal as a republic, secular and federal democratic country, the RPP-N asserts that such major political changes cannot be valid without a nationwide referendum.
As the ruling NC-UML and the opposition UCPN (Maoist)-Madhesi parties fail to reach a consensus on the basis of federalism, the Hindu royalist RPP-N has questioned the very concept of federalism.
With its 25 lawmakers and support from the Nepal Majdur Kisan Party (NMKP), the RPP-N has emerged as the third political force after the second CA elections in November, 2013.
Meanwhile, top leaders of the NC, the UML and the UCPN (Maoist)-led 30-party alliance are now busy narrowing down their differences over the contentious issues of the new constitution.
Apart from basis of federalism, differences over form of governance, electoral system and model of judiciary have also stalled the new constitution writing process.
Only four days are now left for the January 22 deadline to expire. The NC and the UML leaders have said that they will use their combined two-thirds strength to pass the new constitution if they fail to reach a consensus today itself.