SURKHET, March 14: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Chakrapani Khanal has revealed that the Chand-led group had taken away some arms from the cantonments after the then Maoist party joined mainstream politics.

Minister Khanal, who was serving as deputy commander of the then Maoist “People’s Liberation Army (PLA)” revealed that the Chand-led group had taken away some arms including some sophisticated ones from the then six divisions and 18 satellite cantonments.

Minister Khanal, however, did not reveal how many weapons were taken away from the cantonments. “Army integration process was underway under my leadership. We were in favor of integration with the Nepal Army. It was during that time they took away some arms from the cantonments,” he said.

Talking to mediapersons in Birendranagar, Minister Khanal said that the group had carried out arson attack to seize some sophisticated arms from the cantonments. 

Minister Khanal defended the government decision to ban Chand’s outfit. “We are in a campaign to take the country toward prosperity. But Biplav [Chanda] group has tried to obstruct the campaign. So we had to ban the group,” he further said. 

Although the constitution does not have any provision to restrict activities of political parties, Khanal argued that any group involved in extortion and bomb blasts cannot be considered a political party.

 
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