SANGAM

Reds’ donation drive has pvt sector quaking
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, APR 26 -
The business community is tearing its hair, quaking in its boots and bemoaning the state of afffairs, severally, over the forcible donation drive launched by the UCPN (Maoist). For the entrepreneurs, it is a nightmare that they feel they will never wake up from.

Maoist cadres on Monday vandalised the office of Hulas Steel at Kantipath after its parent organisation Golchha Group refused to entertain their demand for a huge sum of money. “They were demanding Rs. 5 million from us,” said Diwakar Golchha, a Constituent Assembly (CA) member and industrialist. According to Golchha, two CA members representing the Maoists were also involved in the vandalism but he did not give their names. He said that his organisation has reported the incident to the police.

This is not an isolated case. Entrepreneurs have complained that the Maoist drive is rampant in Kathmandu, Bhairahawa, Butwal, Narayangadh, Hetauda, Birgunj and Biratnagar as well as other places.

President of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Kush Kumar Joshi said the business community is terrorised by the forced nature of the donation drive. According to FNCCI sources, the Maoists are demanding amounts ranging from Rs. 50,000 to more than Rs. 1 million from entrepreneurs.

The Maoists have also asked the business community to manage food, shelter and clothes for the Maoists activists who have come to the capital to participate in the May 1 mass protest.

However, the Maoists denied allegations of extortion saying that it is just a rumour being spread to defame them. Senior Maoist leader Janardan Sharma said Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has requested the business community to provide donation voluntarily.

Hoteliers also have complained that they are being forced to pay above Rs. 200,000 for five-star hotels and above Rs. 50,000 for two-star hotels. According to businessmen, owners of big shops in the capital have been told to cough up above Rs. 100,000 each.

They have complained to the police that the Maoists have ordered them verbally and in writing to manage food and shelter for the Red cadres. Many hoteliers in Kathmandu Valley, Dhulikhel and Nagarkot have received such letters. Ongoing housing projects have also been told to provide shelter to Maoist cadres.

The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has requested all concerned not to impose bandas and strikes.