How do you look at the recent strike by the Maoist affiliated trade union?

They need to denounce their rampage in Nepalese industries. They destroyed goods, machineries and other materials in the industries worth millions of rupees. No one can bear such acts of vandalism made by All Nepal Trade Union (Revolutionary).

How do you understand the nature of the attack?

There acts are illegal, anarchic, objectionable. We see this as well calculated attack against Nepalese industries.  We condemn the attack made in Chaudhary  Group of Industries office and vice president Pradip Jung Pandey’s Lomas Herbal Research Center. FNCCI also condemned attack against chairman of Radisson Hotel D.K. Shrestha, attack against CEO of Citizen Bank and attach on FNCCI’s vice chairman Pashupati Muraka’s car.

What is the response of FNCCI?

Instead of bowing down to them, we can shut down all the industries in the country. There is a limit for everything. Nobody can tolerate this kind of act anymore.  Nepal is dependent upon import. If the situation cannot improve, there is no question to operate industries.

How do you view the demands of All Nepal Trade Union (Revolutionary) to double the minimum salary?

At a time when all the industries are facing various kinds of trouble to pay minimum salary set by the government, the demands are a sheer nonsense. If they act in such anarchy, we have very limited options.

Is not the minimum wage fixed under the recommendation of a committee represented by FNCCI?

It is the sole responsibility of the government to fix the minimum salary for workers. Of course, FNCCI has also sent its representative to the committee but the decision is taken by the government. FNCCI have nothing to do with it.

If that is so why they are vandalizing industries?

Their intention is crystal clear as they want to shut down all national industries putting such demand.  FNCCI has already called the government to take necessary legal actions against those who involved in destroying the property and manhandling the industrialists.