The Rastriya Prajatantra Party on Monday picketed the Election Commission in Kathmandu, protesting the constitutional body’s decision to delete a section of the party’s charter about the Hindu state and the monarchy. The party Chairman and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Kamal Thapa himself led the protest. Meanwhile, a clash erupted between the RPP cadres and police outside the EC. Police have lobbed tear gas shells and baton-charged to disperse the mob. It has been learned that dozens of RPP cadres, as well as some police personnel, were injured in the clash. Among the injured are former RPP Chairman and senior leader Pashupati Shamsher Rana, lawmaker Kunti Kumari Shahi, leaders Roshan Karki, Niranjan Thapa, Sabitri Thapa, Rajaram Bartaula and Komal Oli, according to the party’s leader Mohan Shrestha. Rastriya Prajatantra Party picket Election Commission in Kathmandu Rastriya Prajatantra Party leaders and cadres demonstrate in front of the Election Commission, in Kathmandu, on Monday, March 20, 2017. Photo: Rajaram Bartaula/Twitter The RPP leaders and cadres have also picketed the District Election Offices in various districts. Rastriya Prajatantra Party senior leader Pashupati Shamsher Rana Rastriya Prajatantra Party senior leader Pashupati Shamsher Rana injured in a clash with police, in Kathmandu, on Monday, March 20, 2017. A meeting of the RPP on Saturday had decided to launch street protests and seek “constitutional remedy” against the constitutional body. On Friday, the EC had decided to remove the portion that advocates Hindu state and monarchy from the RPP statute claiming the sections contradicted constitutional provisions of republican order and secularism. The party, however, has been arguing that the decision was objectionable and against sentiments of the Constitution because the Constitution had guaranteed freedom of expression and organisation. पार्टीको विधानबाट हिन्दू धर्म र राजसंस्था शब्द हटाएको विरोधमा राष्ट्रिय प्रजातन्त्र पार्टी (राप्रपा)ले गरेको प्रदर्शनमा तनाव भएको छ । आयोगको निर्णय पुनर्विचार गर्न माग गर्दै सोमबार दिउँसो बहादुर भवनस्थित निर्वाचन आयोग घेराउ गर्न गएको राप्रपाको ठूलो समूहले प्रहरी घेरा तोड्ने प्रयास गरेपछि लाठी चार्ज र अश्रुग्यास प्रहार गर्‍यो । राप्रपा पुष्पकमल दाहाल नेतृत्वको सरकारमा चार मन्त्री र राज्यमन्त्रीसहित तेस्रो शक्तिकोरुपमा सहभागी छ । सत्तारुढ राप्रपाका अध्यक्षसमेत रहेका उपप्रधान एवं स्थानीय विकास मन्त्री कमल थापाको नेतृत्वमा आयोगमा धर्ना दिने कार्यक्रम थियो । तर, धर्नामा थापा देखिएनन् । धर्नामा पूर्वअध्यक्ष पशुपतिशमसेर जबरा भने सहभागी थिए । स्थिति तनावपूर्ण भएपछि उनलाई सुरक्षाकर्मीले सुरक्षित स्थलतर्फ लगेका थिए । प्रहरीले लाठीचार्ज र अश्रुग्यास हान्न सुरु गरेपछि राप्रपाका कार्यकर्ताले पनि ढुंगामुढा गरेका थिए । राप्रपाको विधानमा रहेको राजसंस्था र हिन्दू राष्ट्रसम्बन्धी वाक्यांश नेपालको संविधानसँग बाझिएको भन्दै आयोगले शुक्रबार हटाइदिएको थियो । राप्रपाको विधानको प्रस्तावनामै ‘पूर्ण धार्मिक स्वतन्त्रतासहितको सनातन हिन्दुराष्ट्र एवं राजसंस्थासहितको लोकतन्त्रको मान्यता अभिवृद्धि र कायम गर्न’ भन्ने वाक्यांश थियो । विधानको धारा ५ मा ‘नेपालमा सनातन हिन्दुत्वको भावना अभिवृद्धि गर्ने’ भन्ने वाक्यांशसमेत उल्लेख थियो । राप्रपाको एकता महाधिवेशनले पारित गरेको विधानमा उल्लिखित हिन्दू राष्ट्र र राजसंस्थासम्बन्धी वाक्यांश मुलुकको संविधानसँग मेल नखाएकाले विधानबाट हटाइएको प्रमुख निर्वाचन आयुक्त अयोधीप्रसाद यादवले आइतबारको पत्रकार सम्मेलनमा बताएका थिए ।