KATHMANDU, Feb 12: The UCPN (Maoist) organized a mass meet to mark the 18th anniversary of the decade-long Maoist insurgency the party calls the ‘People’s War’ at Khullamanch in the capital on Tuesday.
Addressing the meet, party Vice-chairman and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai underscored the party’s recent proposal for forming election government under the leadership of sitting chief justice as the only option now left as the opposition parties have already rejected continuing with his own government till new Constituent Assembly elections. [break]
“Why should anybody have problem forming a government under the leadership of head of judiciary, which is considered the most free and impartial organ?” questioned Bhattarai, adding that the idea of having a CJ-led government is well in line with existing international practice.
Arguing that the interim constitution does not provide for formation of new government in any other way, Bhattarai also challenged legal and constitution experts, who have snubbed the idea of forming a CJ-led government, for discussion on every single clause of Article 106. Legal and constitutional experts have argued that making CJ the head of the executive is against the principle of separation of powers.
He also stressed that new constitution will be possible only through CA and accused the opposition parties of then dissolving the CA and now being reluctant to going to new elections. Likewise, he said the functioning of his government is affected by coalition limitations and vented his ire over some of the government-forwarded ordinances not getting presidential endorsement yet.
Bhattarai warned the opposition parties not to undermine the ‘People’s War’ as doing so, he argued, would mean overlooking the very achievements such as secularism and the country’s status as republic that came in with the Constituent Assembly, the formation of which was one of the insurgency´s major agenda. He further added the recent general convention in Hetauda has placed his party on a new course in a more cohesive way.
Addressing the meet, party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, echoing Bhattarai, said considering the present situation, it is best to form new government under the leadership of CJ in order to hold new CA elections. Arguing that the interim constitution provides for assigning chief justice or other justices for a certain period of time any other task of national importance, Dahal argued that giving CJ the leadership of government is a viable prospect.
Dahal also said his party does not take Marxism as communists’ ‘holy book’ and added that his party espoused Marxism, Maoism and Leninism as per the country’s own need and context. Referring to former party leader Mohan Baidya, who broke away to form his own party CPN-Maoist, Dahal said only having knowledge about Marxism is not enough but actions are necessary.
Earlier, party cadres rallied to the program venue from various places, including Baneshwor, Koteshwor, Chabahil, Balaju, Maharajgunj and Kalanki, leaving traffic chaotic along major thoroughfares in the Valley. Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Vice-chairman and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, another Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha and General Secretary Posta Bahadur Bogati, among other leaders, are scheduled to address the meet.
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