British police remove hunger strikers’ tents near PM’s residence

KATHMANDU: AUGUST 11 – British Police have interfered in a hunger strike launched by the ex-Gurkha veterans in front of the Prime Minister’s residence since last Saturday.

Police removed the tents on Tuesday noting that the area in which the protesters were encamped was prohibited for placing tents according to British rule. A group of hunger strikers had attempted to stop the police act of removing their tents but the police arbitrarily cleared the area despite paying heed to the demand of protesters.

In course of clearing the area, Gyanraj Rai, one of the hunger strikers, sarcastically asked a question to the British administration – was this an award granted to ex-Gurkhas who fought for Britain for over two centuries by interfering on their fast-unto-death campaign.

Chief of Gorkha Satyagraha Struggle Committee Krishna Bahadur Rai said the British government was trying to weaken their movement for justice in the pretext of law.

It may be noted that Nepal’s House of Representatives (HOR)’s International Relations Committee on Tuesday had directed to form a high-level committee to look after the issues of Gorkhas who have been staging hunger strikes putting forth their demands.

The struggle would continue until and unless the British government officially comes up with a letter stipulating a date for dialogue.

For the past four days, ex-Gurkha veterans, Gyanraj, Dhanamaya Gurung and Pushpa Rana have been staging fast-unto-death before the PM residence in Britain.