After calling a sudden bandh on Saturday and adversely affecting the livelihood of  the general public, the Nepali Congress has announced another shutdown on Monday, December 19.

The NC has imposed the bandh to protest the death of its Tarun Dal leader Shiva Paudel, who was attacked by Youth Association Nepal cadres in Chitwan District Prison on December 6.

According to The Himalayan Times, notwithstanding pressure from various quarters to withdraw the general shutdown, the NC has appealed to “all democratic masses” to close down the industries, transportation, education institutions and businesses to show solidarity with its agitation against the December 6 attack on its cadres in Chitwan.

In a statement issued on Sunday afternoon, the NC Central Office said that the bandh will be peaceful, asking its sister organisations and cadres not to obstruct the vehicles of emergency services including ambulances, Redcross, diplomatic missions, rights activists and press.

The statement further alleged that the government had a hand in the attack on Paudel along with other Tarun Dal in the prison and it condemned the attack saying that it was pre-meditated. It also said that the charge against Paudel was delusive. Paudel was serving a jail term in a murder case.