KATHMANDU: In what can be described as a major show of unity and strength, thousands of Kathmanduites, mainly the Newar communities, on Wednesday poured into the streets, and gathered at the Maitighar Mandala demanding the abrogation of the controversial Guthi Bill.

Despite the government’s announcement to withdraw the bill on Tuesday evening, demonstrators took to the streets waving national flags and demanded that the government abrogated the ‘controversial’ bill, which was registered at the National Assembly.

Prior to this, people rallied from different parts of Kathmandu Valley such as New Road, Patan, Thamel, Basantpur and other places. Kathmandu’s traffic has been adversely affected.

The government was compelled to bow down by withdrawing the controversial Guthi Bill that sparked mass protests in Kathmandu.

Announcing the withdrawal of the bill on Tuesday, Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Padma Aryal, said the government would consult all relevant stakeholders before tabling another bill in the parliament to manage the Guthis.

The highly-talked-about bill brought to ‘manage lands’ belonging to Guthis (religious, social trusts) has been widely protested and criticized, especially by the people of Kathmandu demanding its immediate withdrawal.

The controversial bill has proposed the formation of an authority to manage and oversee the lands currently managed by the Guthi Sansthan.