We didn't backtrack over NA chief: Ministers

KATHMANDU, May 22: Ministers in the caretaker government and other political party leaders have said that accusations by outgoing Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal that the parties backtracked on the issue of sacking the army chief are false. [break]

• Ruling parties had agreed to sack Katawal: Maoist Chairman Dahal

UML leader and Minister for Industry in the caretaker government, Asta Laxmi Shakya, said that all the UML ministers in the cabinet had suggested to Prime Minister Dahal not to take action against army chief Rookmangud Katawal.



"May be he was referring to our consent to seeking clarifications from the army chief," Shakya told myrepublica.com, adding, "It is groundless to accuse us of backtracking from our decision because everyone knows we boycotted the cabinet meeting when Dahal insisted on sacking the army chief."



According to her, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam, among other UML ministers, had consistently suggested to Dahal not to sack Katawal without reaching a consensus with the other political parties.



MPRF chairman and Minister for Foreign Affairs Upendra Yadav said that MPRF ministers were from the very beginning against taking action against the army chief . "Our friends wrote a note of dissent even at the last minute when the prime minister finally decided to sack the army chief," Yadav told myrepublica.com. Foreign Minister Yadav was abroad on the day the cabinet took the decision.



Nepali Congress leader Dr Minendra Rijal said that they naturally had several ideological differences with Dahal´s statements. "A large portion of his address was full of anguish, rage and allegations against other political parties," Rijal said, adding, "It didn´t sound like a prime minister´s address in the House."

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