Activists from the Nepalese ethnic Newar community chant slogans during a protest rally held to enforce a general strike in Kathmandu yesterday. The strike called by the Maoist-affiliated ethnic rights group - the Newa Mukti Morcha, who are demanding a separate autonomous state-brought Nepal's capital to a standstill. Photo: AFP

The joint action committee for Newa Autonomous state on Sunday organised a torch rally in various places across the country demanding that the government declare Kathmandu Valley a 'Newar autonomous state' and mark June 1 as black day.
In 1999, on the same day, the Supreme Court had given a verdict against the demand, on the case filed over the use of Newari and Maithili as official languages. Since then, indigenous people have been marking the day as black day.
Talking to the Post, former president of Newa Dabu, Malla K Sundar, said they had submitted a memorandum to the Constituent Assembly (CA) demanding that the government declare Kathmandu Valley a Newar autonomous state.