Protestors keep up anti-King demonstrations

Kathmandu, Apr 22 (UNI) Over 200,000 anti-King demonstrators took to the streets today defying curfew and shoot-at-sight orders and marched to the Narayanhity palace as the seven-party alliance rejected the monarch's overtures for government formation in Nepal.

At least eight protestors were wounded in police firing.

Pro-democracy crowds crossed the ring-road into parts of Kathmandu placed under curfew and advanced to almost a km of the Narayanhity palace. However, the leaderless masses were stopped by riot police, who lobbed tear gas shells at them. Over 150 people were injured and are being treated at various hospitals in Kathmandu, sources said.

Leaders of the seven parties emerged from a meeting at the residence of Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala at Maharajganj and waved to thousands of demonstrators, who were shouting slogans against King Gyanendra.

''Continue the movement, our movement will not end until we achieve the goal,'' Mr Koirala and other leaders exhorted the demonstrators.

The crowd cheered and shouted ''Gyanendra, leave the country, we want complete democracy.'' The seven political parties have given the King a 24-hour ultimatum to reinstate the dissolved parliament, a local television channel said.

The government suspended the mobile services in Kathmandu. The mobile service were cut off at 0330 hours local time today.

The parties were demanding the end of autocratic rule of King Gyanendra, who abrogated all powers to himself in February last year. In the face of mounting protests, he promised to hand over executive power to the peoples representatives provided the seven-party alliance of political parties nominate the Prime Minister from among themselves yesterday.

The parties said the announcement of the King was incomplete and they would not accept it unless the Parliament was revived and an interim government of all parties including Maoists formed and a constituent assembly election called to decide the fate of the monarchy.

Ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions interacted with the leaders of the seven parties during the meeting of the parties.

Demonstrations continued in various parts of the capital including New Baneshowr, Koteshwor, Kalanki, Basundhara, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur in the Kathmandu valley.

People from all walks of life have expressed solidarity with the movement.

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