KATHMANDU, Sept 15: The ruling parties on Tuesday asked the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to stop carrying out physical action against the president, the prime minister and cabinet ministers in the name of their movement for ´civilian supremacy.´ [break]
In a meeting with the Maoist leadership held at the Prime Minister´s Office in Singha Durbar, Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) leaders warned that Maoist activists pelting stones in the name of ´civilian supremacy´ could invite unfortunate consequences and push the political parties towards a fresh confrontation.
According to NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula, both NC and UML leaders told the Maoist leaders that they have no objection over the president, prime minister and other ministers being greeted with black flags in a peaceful manner, but strongly objected to Maoist cadres pelting stones. They asked the Maoist leadership to immediately stop such unruly activities in order to create a conducive environment for dialogue among the parties.
The prime minister´s political advisor, Raghuji Panta, said that the Maoist leaders were positive over their request.
“We have no plans to pelt stones or make physical assaults against ministers. We will direct our cadres through our channels to stop such activities,” Panta quoted Maoist leader Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai as saying. “We are not in favor of that kind of protest.”
Dr Bhattarai said they are serious over the issue and will immediately direct their cadres across the country to stop such activities, but they will continue showing black flags until the president´s move is corrected.
Maoist leaders Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai, Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Dev Gurung and NC leaders Prakash Man Singh, Ram Sharan Mahat, Bimalendra Nidhi and Sitaula attended the meeting. UML leaders Bharat Mohan Adhikari, Bhim Acharya and Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal were also among those present at the meeting.
The Maoists have been greeting the president, the prime minister and ministers with black flags and boycotting functions attended by them as part of their scheduled protests for ´civilian supremacy,´ prompting nasty clashes between police and agitating Maoist cadres in various parts of the country in recent days.
At least 18 persons including five police personnel were injured in the clash that ensued in Biratnagar on Monday after agitating Maoist cadres attempted to bar the prime minister from attending a convocation at Purvanchal University. The Maoist cadres also pelted stones at Energy Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat in Nuwakot the same day.
The three-party meeting also discussed ways to end the House obstruction that the Maoists have been causing since the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led government came to power on May 23. The Maoists have demanded that the NC, UML and other ruling parties allow for discussion in parliament a resolution motion they filed against President Dr Yadav over the army chief´s reinstatement row.
However, there was no consensus on resuming House business as the NC and UML remained adamant in their stance that they cannot let the resolution be discussed in parliament.
“While we have termed the president´s move ´wrong´ they [NC and UML] continue to term it his ´right´,” Dr Bhattarai told media after the meeting. “We could not arrive at any consensus over the issue.”
Dr Bhattarai, however, said that they have agreed to continue discussions to find a way to end the ongoing political stalemate. The leaders of the three parties are set to meet again on Wednesday afternoon at the Prime Minister´s Office.
Leaders present at the meeting said the NC and UML asked the Maoists to come up either with a no-confidence motion against the government or an impeachment motion against the president if his move over the army chief is to be debated in parliament. “We have proposed to the Maoists to make a fresh start over everything, setting aside things that occurred in the past,” said NC leader Sitaula.
koshraj@myrepublica.com
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