Protests against Nepal's vice president

KATMANDU, Nepal—Protesters blocked traffic and held demonstrations Monday in Nepal to protest the newly elected vice president's decision to take his oath of office in a foreign language.

Demonstrators called for Paramananda Jha to publicly apologize for taking his oath in Hindi during last week's swearing-in ceremony, while the new president spoke in Nepali.

Student groups burned tires to block traffic on the main streets of the capital, Katmandu, and chanted slogans against Jha. News reports said protesters had blocked the main highways in eastern Nepal, and markets and schools were also closed.

"The vice president must retake the oath in Nepali or step down," they chanted.

Though Hindi is widely understood in Nepal, it is not an official language and elected officials are required to take their oath either in Nepali or their ethnic language, which in Jha's case is Maithali.

Jha has defended his action, saying it was an attempt to promote the inclusion of Hindi as an official language in Nepal.

Thakur Gaire of the All Nepal National Free Student Union said that the eight student groups organizing the protests would continue until he apologizes.

"We are demanding he should correct his mistake and make a public commitment pledging he will not repeat such mistakes," Gaire said.

A lawsuit has also been filed against Jha in the Supreme Court demanding his oath be invalidated.