Protesters demanding reservation in Nepal govt jobs clash with police outside PM's house

Several activists from the indigenous communities, who were protesting in front of the Nepal prime minister's residence demanding reservation in the ongoing drive to recruit over 9,000 staffers for local government bodies, were injured after a clash broke out between them and the police here on Tuesday.

The protesters, championing the cause of the marginalised communities, were opposing the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) for not allocating seats under all clusters that qualify for reservation.

The FPSC has, however, said that it could not allocate seats for all clusters as there were only one or two seats in some local levels.

Demanding that the commission cancel the ongoing recruitment process and call for fresh applications ensuring proportionate reservation quotas for Dalits, indigenous communities, Madhesis and Muslims, the protesters tried to enter the restricted zone outside the prime minister's residence at Baluwatar area, the organisers said.

"As the demonstrators tried to break the restricted zone, policemen deployed in the area baton-charged the agitators. Half-a-dozen activists belonging to various ethnic communities sustained minor injuries during the clash," they said.

Those who took part in the protest included Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities vice-president Govinda Chhantyal and its leaders -- Kumar Lingden and Dalmardhan Kami.