Maoists say "No Dice", to Miss Nepal Pageant

Press Trust Of India / Kathmandu

Intensifying their campaign against the Miss Nepal contest, a group of Maoists today stormed the offices of the pageant’s Indian sponsor, Dabur, and the event organizer and locked out their staff.

About 50 Maoists, led by Amrita Thapa, General Secretary of the All Nepal Women’s Organization, forced their way into the office of Hidden Treasure, the organizer of “Dabur Vatika Miss Nepal,” which was to be held today but was put off indefinitely following threats by the Maoists.

“They locked up our office at 11am and did not allow anyone to enter,” said Girendra Man Rajbanshi, managing director of the company.

An hour later, the group went to the head office of FMCG giant Dabur Nepal at Tinkune near Tribhuvan International Airport and asked the staff to come out before locking up the office, a police official said.

The Maoist-affiliated organization has targeted the pageant at a time the former rebels are involved in hectic negotiations with other parties to lead a new government. The outfits, supported by two dozen other Left organizations, launched the month-long campaign against the pageant saying it was promoting feudal and capitalistic ideology.

Security has been beefed up at the two offices. But the event’s organizer said it would not be intimidated and would hold the pageant at an appropriate time.

“They don’t have right to close down my office,” said Rajbanshi. “This is not a democratic way to close down a private office by exerting pressure and threat. We will definitely organize the show at an appropriate time,” he said.