KATHMANDU, June 11: Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa on Tuesday said that the police had used some force to contain the protestors during Sunday's public demonstration against the proposed Guthi bill tabled in the Parliament.
Responding to concerns of Nepali Congress lawmakers about the police crackdown on the protestors during the demonstration staged against the proposed Guthi bill, the home minister denied that the police used excessive force.
"Police only used water cannons to disperse around 300 demonstrators when they were obstructing the public transportation," Thapa said at a session of the Parliament.
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The police personnel were forced to use water cannons as the protestors continued obstructing the public transportation and blocking the roads at Maitghar, he further said.
"The protestors also pelted stones at the police," the home minister added.
He said that some of the protestors who were arrested during the demonstration have been released.
"It is the government's responsibility to contain the protests thereby maintaining law and order in the country and the police did the same," he said.
He also vowed to take action against the police personnel if they were found to have used excessive force against those who launched protests in protest of Guthi bill.
During today's session of the Parliament, NC lawmakers denounced the police manhandling and arrest of those protesting peacefully against the bill in the capital.
The lawmakers had sought clarifications from Home Minister Thapa at the outset of the parliamentary meeting. The NC lawmakers denounced the bill, saying it seeks to abolish Nepal's unique cultural practices.
