Nepal govt to get tough with those disrupting polls: Minister

The Nepal government has directed security forces to crack down on those engaged in violent activities to disrupt the crucial Constituent Assembly polls, a minister said today.
Tourism Minister Ram Kumar Shrestha, talking to reporters on the sidelines of a cultural programme, said the government will take strong action against those who try to disrupt the November 19 election through violent means.
The government will not tolerate the activities of those who opt for violence on the pretext of boycotting the Constituent Assembly polls, he said.
Though the government honours the right of dissenting political parties to protest peacefully, those involved in violent activities and anarchy will not be spared, he said while addressing a programme organised by Nepal Mountaineering Association to mark its 40th anniversary.

Shrestha's remarks came in the wake of a call from the CPN-Maoist, a breakaway faction of Unified CPN-Maoist, to boycott the polls. The party has been linked to attacks on the election campaigns by cadres of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML in different parts of the country.
The government has made all necessary preparations for the upcoming polls and security has been beefed up, Shrestha said.
The government deplores the activities of those trying to interfere with the people's voting rights, he said. He called on all sections of society to cooperate with the government in conducting the election, saying the government is committed to holding polls in a fearless, fair and peaceful manner.

The country cannot be taken hostage by lengthening political transition, and the election is aimed at drafting the constitution at the earliest to bring political stability and strengthen democracy, he pointed out.