Various student unions today staged a sit-in in front of the Nepal Oil Corporation for an hour demanding the resignation of NOC Managing Director Gopal Bahadur Khadka. The student unions have accused Khakda of being involved in black marketing of petroleum products. Around 500 students from various student unions, including All Nepal National Free Students Union, aligned to CPN-UML, All Nepal National Independent Students Union-Revolutionary aligned to three parties UCPN-Maoist, CPN-Maoist, CPN Maoist, today took out a rally from Maitighar Mandala to NOC as part of their protest.

Narendra Neupane, the member of central working committee ANNI SU-R, said the sit-in protest was organised as per the decision taken by a joint meeting of the student unions on November 20. He said a majority of Nepali people were suffering due to the fuel crisis and black marketing of petroleum products was adding to their woes. Neupane said they staged the protest to warn officials against black marketing of petroleum products. “We have come to learn that NOC’s Managing Director Khadka is himself involved in black marketing of petroleum products. Thus, we want his resignation,” he said, adding, “A huge number of public vehicles are seen plying the roads amid fuel crisis. How is this possible?”

Neupane also accused the government of not taking any concrete steps to import petroleum products from third countries. “We think NOC officials are not willing to import fuel from third countries because they do not want to antagonise the Indian Oil Corporation,” he said. According to Neupane, student union leaders are planning to Prime Minister KP Oli to draw his attention towards growing black marketing of petroleum products. Similarly, as per the decision made by the student unions last week, the unions are going to stage a demonstration in the capital on November 26 to protest the closure of schools in the Tarai districts due to ongoing agitation by the Madhes-based parties.