CHITAWAN, Aug 24: The Chitwan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI) has protested against the donation campaign by various political parties targeting enterprises and business houses in the area.

Issuing a statement earlier this week, CCCI said the donation drives were pushing businesses to the edge of collapse. The CCCI statement, however, has not named the political parties involved.

Industrialists told Republica that they are currently feeling harassed by leaders of the Netra Bikram Chanda-led CPN Maoist, which broke away from CPN Maoist (Centre) Party. 
CCCI President Rajan Gautam said Chanda’s party’s donation drive came immediately after visits from representatives of the Nepali Congress youth wing -- Nepal Students Union -- to collect donations ahead of its recent convention.

The Chanda-led Maoist party has demanded donations from Rs 20,000 to Rs 500,000, industrialists say. The entrepreneurs also complain that the donation-seekers have been visiting them at their homes and sometimes issuing threats.

“Nepal Students Union haunted us for funding their leaders’ elections as there were many student leaders who were running for executive posts in the central committee,” complained an entrepreneur who asked not to be named.

CCCI has also appealed for an investment-friendly environment.

The press statement reads: “It’s the duty of all the political leaders to support and protect enterprises and businesses, which faced the 2015 earthquake and then a blockade, rather than haunting them with donation demands.”

 
• chitwan chamber of commerce and industries
 
• ccci
 
• donation campaign