Maoist continuing donation drive: Entrepreneurs

Businessmen and entrepreneurs have complained that Maoists are continuing their donation drive despite the ceasefire declared by them and despite repeated requests from the government not to do so.

Report quoted chairman of Regional Hotel Association, Pokhara, Laxmi Bahadur Bhattarai as saying that the Maoists have been demanding money from entrepreneurs but they are in no condition to pay a penny. Bhattarai also said that they had appraised the Maoist leadership of their plight.

Chairman of Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Rajendra Kumar Lalchan, said the Maoists are demanding cash and even goods from shops and other business houses in Pokhara Sub-metropolitan City area.

They have demanded a motorcycle each from all motorcycle showrooms in Pokhara and also demanded for clothing from cloth stores, he said.

Kaski district secretary of Maoists, Karan, said the party has not forced anyone to donate cash and kind for the party. “We have maintained much restraint on the matter of donation collection,” he said.

According to reports, Maoists have also intensified their fund collection campaign in Biratnagar. The rebels said they were collecting the funds for a people’s gathering to be held on Saturday.

Over 200 Maoist cadres have been mobilised to visit every household in the city to collect donations.

Maoist leadership said that they are collecting only voluntary donations from people to feed their cadres and rules that they are forcing anybody to pay donations. nepalnews.com pb May 19 06

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