KATHMANDU, June 18: The cabinet on Thursday nullified the earlier Maoist-led government´s decision sacking army chief Rookmangud Katawal and appointing Lt. Gen. Kul Bahadur Khadka as his successor.
The cabinet has also anulled the earlier government´s May-4 decision condemning President Dr Ram Baran Yadav´s move to block Katawal´s dismissal, said Minister for Information and Communication Shankar Pokharel, who was appointed the government´s spokesperson by the cabinet earlier in the day. [break]
Before stepping down, the Maoist-led government on May 4 termed the President´s move undemocratic and unconstitional and asked the President to correct his move.
In a controversial political step on May 3, the Maoist-led government had sacked Katawal and appointed Khadka as acting army chief. However, Katawal continued in office after President Yadav blocked his dismissal, and this led to the resignation of the government.
"The earlier government´s decision was ill-intentioned, irrelevant and immature," said Defense Minister Bidhya Devi Bhandari about the reason for revoking the May-3 decision of the Maoist-led government.
The cabinet, however, remained silent about the President´s move. "It was not necessary to speak on the President´s move after declaring the May-3 decision irrelevant, ill-intentioned and immature," a highly placed government source told myrepublica.com.
The decision also means that the government has endorsed the President´s move blocking the dismissal of the army chief, said another minister, prefering anonymity.
Thursday´s decision is sure to further anger the Maoists who have been taking to the streets over the President´s move. The Maoists are yet to comment on the reinstatement of Katawal and dismissal of Khadka as acting army chief.
But Khadka has accepted the government´s decision removing him as acting army chief. "I accept the government´s decision. There is no option left but to okay the government´s decision," Khadka said.
After the cabinet meeting, Defense Minister Bhandari said the government would not give any appointment to Khadka, which is contrary to media reports that the government may appoint him as a defense advisor.
"He will retire when his tenure expires," Bhandari said. Khadka is retiring on Sunday.
In a separate decision, the cabinet also decided to call the armed groups operating in the Tarai to come for dialogue with the government and named Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Rakam Chemjong as the government´s coordinator for the talks.
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