Nepal protests snowball into no-trust motion

KATHMANDU, DEC. 28. Anti-Hrithik Roshan protests took a serious political turn today with half of 113 ruling Nepalese Congress MPs revolting against the Prime Minister, Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala, filing a no-confidence motion against him in the party.

``We were compelled to file the motion seeking Mr. Koirala's ouster to prevent the country from plunging into a crisis and save the country, democracy and restore peace and security,'' Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba, leader of the dissident group, told reporters after 57 rebel MPs appended their signature to the motion.

The dissidents are believed to be one MP short in their campaign against the Prime Minister who has been in the office since March. The party, which has a majority in the 205-member Lower House of Parliament, is expected to call a meeting of MPs within 15 days to settle the leadership issue.

The revolt came as a general strike called by left-wing student groups paralysed life in the Nepalese capital today with schools, colleges, businesses shut down for the second day today. Kathmandu was nearly deserted, with only a few people on the streets.

- AP

Govt. panel to probe violence

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 28. Nepal has reportedly decided to set up a high- level committee to investigate the current violence sparked by alleged anti-Nepalese remarks by film star Hrithik Roshan. The Government of Nepal has also assured India that it would take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of Indian citizens there.

The assurances from Kathmandu follow the expression of ``grave concern'' by New Delhi at the continuing violence against Indian nationals and their properties in the Himalayan kingdom. According to a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) here, the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Lalit Mansingh, has conveyed the Government's concerns to his Nepali counterpart, Mr. Narayan S. Thapa.

This morning, Ms. Meera Shankar, Joint-Secretary (North), called the Charge d'Affairs of the Embassy of Nepal, Dr. M. Bhattarai, to the MEA to press Kathmandu to take all possible steps to protect the Indian nationals there. The MEA spokesperson said India emphasised three broad themes in its latest ``diplomatic interaction with the Government of Nepal - protection of the Indian citizens, an investigation into the strange outburst of violence that appears to based on wild rumours without any foundation, and the prevention of such events from recurring.''

In its response, Kathmandu assured India that it was taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of the Indians. Top Ministers of the Nepali Government were quoted in the Nepali media today about the decision to set up a high- level committee to investigate the violence. According to the Government of Nepal, the situation in Kathmandu ``remains tense, but under control''. After some delay, the Nepali media - print as well as electronic - have finally begun to carry direct denials from Hrithik Roshan.

On the motivations of those who appear to have orchestrated this anti-Indian violence, the MEA spokesperson said it was up to the Nepal Government to investigate. He pointed, however, to ``elements'' inimical to friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries.

Star Plus' denial

According to UNI, Star Plus has denied that actor, Hrithik Roshan, had made any remarks against Nepal or its people. ``Star Plus wishes to state that at no point of time in the programme - ``Rendezvous with Simi Garewal'' - was any remark made either on Nepal or its people by Hrithik or Simi Garewal,'' a spokesperson of the channel said in Mumbai. The interview was telecast on December 6.

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