While hoisting a flag of their party on a plot of 22 bighas [36.82 acres] of land spreading across Lalbojhi VDC-2 and 3, the CPN-Maoist cadres announced that the land, which legally belongs to one Navaraj Singh, a relative of former King Gyanendra Shah, will henceforth be under their control. [break]
The land, which was initially seized by the UCPN (Maoist), was seized by a group of CPN-Maoist cadres led by one Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is in-charge of Kailali-10 of the party.
Mahesh Baduwal, Kailali district secretary of the CPN-Maoist, said that they decided to seize Singh´s land as the UCPN (Maoist) was planning to return it to the lawful owner. "We will not allow return of seized lands to feudal lords," said he.
Baduwal said that the CPN-Maoist will seize more lands as per their party policy. He also said that the seized lands will be distributed among families of martyrs, poor and the landless. He said that the CPN-Maoist decided to seize all lands previously seized by the UCPN (Maoist) as the latter is now working in the interest of the ´ruling class´.
In Kailali, no lands seized by the UCPN (Maoist) during the war have been returned to their rightful owners so far. Although former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai´s government initiated efforts to return the land seized by his party in the past, no tangible progress was made.
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