Kathmandu. The Ministry of Home Affairs has said that it has drawn attention to the protests against banks and financial institutions across the country. On Friday, the ministry issued a circular to the chief district officers of all 77 districts and instructed the district administration office to stop such demonstrations.

The Ministry has directed through a circular to control those who are doing unwanted activities by protesting against banks and financial institutions. The ministry has instructed to stop such activities immediately as the activities of disrupting the security of bank branches and violating peace and security in the name of agitation may increase.

Durga Prasain, a medical practitioner, in a provocative speech on February 1 in Mechipul, Jhapa, with members of former King Gyanendra Shah's family on stage, claimed that he was going to introduce a system of non-payment of loans to banks and financial institutions. Saying that he is going to introduce a system to waive off loans below 20 lakhs, Prasai called on the microfinance employees who come to collect loans to wear black clothes.

After Prasai's provocative speech, attacks on bank employees have started in various places. In some places, the branches of banks and financial institutions have been attacked and there has also been an organized campaign to close them.

After the banks and financial institutions and their employees started becoming unsafe, on Thursday, the representatives of the Bankers' Association met the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Vinod Prakash Singh and the Inspector General of Police Dhiraj Pratap Singh and asked them to guarantee their safety. According to the request, the Ministry issued a circular today to prevent possible demonstrations and damage.