Health of agitating journo deteriorates

The health of the agitating journalist who is a week into his fast-unto-death has deteriorated.

Birendra Dahal, manager of Radio HBC FM, has vowed that he would not break his fast till the parliament comes out with written commitment to respect the press freedom.

Doctors from Om hospital checked his health on Friday. They said his pulse was receding and his health had weakened day by day.

Dahal is on indefinite hunger strike at the entrance gate of Nepal Press Council. He has demanded full faith in press freedom and freedom of expression from all the parties including the Maoists. "I am against the thinking of some quarters who still want to create a monolithic society," Dahal had said before he launched the hunger strike.

He launched the strike after pro-Maoist workers forced the FM to go off the air. The radio broadcast has remained off the air for the past twelve days. nepalnews.com sd Aug 18 07

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