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“Civilian supremacy will not be established without national independence,” Dahal said while speaking at the legislature-parliament Thursday, adding that the issue of “civilian supremacy” should not be treated separately. The Maoist chairman called for consensus among the political parties in parliament against all the “unequal treaties” signed with India since the Sugauli Treaty. “Let´s pass a proposal stating that we will scrap all the unequal treaties,” he said.
Stating that India has been a decisive player in the country´s internal politics, he said, “Even children know how the parties were split and who formed this government.”
Dahal said that the Constituent Assembly (CA), the republic and federalism were the results of the failure of middle-path politics and the victory of those opting for radical change, but the country is now stuck in the dilemma of change.
The Maoist chairman conceded that his party committed some mistakes while running the government due to lack of experience, and the 18 political parties, due their “servile mentality”, submitted an application to the president asking him to overturn the Maoist government´s decision to sack the then army chief. Dahal reiterated that the Maoists did not have any plan to capture state power.
He argued that the country is now witnessing growing polarization between those who are for subjecting national esteem to foreigners and those who are against that, and the confrontation could take a dangerous turn.
Nepali Congress (NC) parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Poudel argued that institutionalization of democracy was not possible until the Maoists gave up violence. “All the political parties should be disarmed if democracy is to be institutionalized… democracy can be established only in a society free of fear.”
Poudel called on the Maoists to immediately eschew the politics of violence and concentrate on the peace process and constitution writing. The NC relinquished its ideology of constitutional monarchy for the sake of the republic, but the Maoists did not relinquish their violent ways,” he said.
Poudel also said that the 18 political parties had only requested the president to save the constitution as the Maoists violated that constitution by sacking the president on their own instead of making a recommendation to the president in that regard. He called on the Maoists to come for consensus for the sake of the peace process, constitution writing and democracy. However, Poudel said he was satisfied with the Maoist move to let the House resume business.
Likewise, UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal said civilian supremacy cannot be ensured without establishing a society free from violence. Khanal criticized the Maoists for declaring autonomous provinces from the street. Stating that the country is plunging into crisis, Khanal called for political consensus to complete the peace process in three or four months and write the constitution. Arguing in line with the Maoist chairman, Khanal also called on all the people to become united for national independence.
Clarify govt view on Kapoor´s statement
The Maoist chairman asked the government to make public its views on the recent statement made by Indian army chief Deepak Kapoor. Arguing that the Indian army chief´s statement was against the integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist army and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Maoist chief said, “The government should set out its views on the Indian army chief´s statement and let it be debated in parliament.”
During Nepal army chief Chhatraman Singh Gurung´s recent visit to India, Kapoor had argued that integrating Maoist fighters into the Nepal army en masse would politicize the army. “It is an act calculated to incite the army,” Dahal said.
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