Archived Documents This part of the Website is not constantly maintainced any longer. Documents can lead to missing links and the drop-down selection of your favourite language does not work.

Minister Gupta Threatens Newspaper Office Lockout

Kathmandu,Sept.3: Information and Communications Minister Jayaprakash Gupta again threatened a lockout of some newspapers for allegedly publishing news favourable to Maoist insurgents who have been waging what they call a people's war to  establish a communist state in Nepal by toppling monarchy and multi-party democracy.

" The day is not far off when the government might have to declare a lockout of some  newspapers offices that  have suddenly blossomed from nowhere and publish news favourable to the Maoists under their influence. " Some national  daily newspapers have compromised journalistic principles and have succumbed to bomb  threats of the Maoists in Rukum, Rolpa, Salyan, Jajarkot and Kalikot, " Gupta threatened Saturday in a public speech.

He did not identify the newspapers by name. Newspapers are encouraging Maoists by publishing news favourable to them instead of printing analytical write-ups, he claimed. Similar threats by Gupta in the past were not implemented. Gupta had previously threatened action against newspapers openly loyal to the rebels but this is the first time he  warned  punitive action against independent newspapers.

Several publications last week printed news with pictures about Maoists returning valuables looted from banks to their owners without interest.

(It is excerpt from nepalnews.com br)