Street vs Guthi Bill

Tens of thousands of people from Kathmandu Valley gathered in maitighar Mandala to protest the Guthi Bill.

Tens of thousands of people from Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur took on the streets on Wednesday demanding the controversial Guthi Bill to be scrapped.

The government was forced to withdraw the bill on Tuesday evening as the protests that began on 9 June snowballed with more groups and activists joining in. But protesters are calling for the termination of the bill that conservationists say represents collusion between the government and real estate mafia to take over property owned by community trusts all over the country.

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Some 2,000 guthi across the country collectively own 150,000 hectares of prime real estate. Traditionally their management is passed down from one generation to the other. But the proposed bill would allow for a central government authority, a much more powerful entity that the existing Guthi Sansthan, to manage community trusts all over Nepal.

All photos by Min Ratna Bajracharya and Bikram Rai

Communities came in with traditional Newa music

Security forces deployed at Maitighar during the protest

Surendra Manandhar, presentor of Image Channel show Samaybaji participated in the protest

People from various walks of like took part in the protest

Popular singer Yogeshwor Amatya distributes flowers to security forces mobilised at Maitighar Mandala on Wednesday as the protest calling for the Guthi Bill to be scrapped raged on.

Nepal Cycle Society cleans up the trash at the Guthi Bill protest site. Photo: NEPAL CYCLE SOCIETY

There were also volunteers providing water to both protesters and security personnel. Photo: SAVE NEPA VALLEY MOVEMENT

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