Katawal is safe at least for now

All the parties to study Katawal´s clarification

All agreed in principle that govt can take action against army chief:Maoist

Decision must be consensual:UML

KATHMANDU, April 22: Army chief General Rookmangud Katawal is safe, at least for now.

Due to widespread domestic and foreign pressure on him, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, arrived at a conclusion to “seek a middle path” , agreeable to all the political parties represented in the Constituent Assembly on whether or not to take further action against Katawal. [break]

In a meeting of 20 of the 24 parties in the Constitueny Assembly held at the parliamentary party office of Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the prime minister said he was for exploring a middle-point as a solution to the issue.

“Prime Minister told the meeting that there could be a grand design against ongoing peace and constitution-making process in the pretext of sparing Katawal from government action,” said UCPN-M Spokesperson Dinanath Sharma, coming out of the meeting. “So prime minister said he is in favor of finding a middle point to resolve the issue.”

Sharma, however, did not disclose what the middle-point was.

Sharma said all the parties ain the meeting agreed in principle that it was the government which can seek clarification or take action against Katawal but there were for and against arguments on the timing of the action.

“All the parties agreed that it was the government’s prerogative to seek clarification or initiate action but they differed on the timing of the action because of the challenges of transitional politics,” he said. According to Sharma, the parties have agreed to meet again to decide what to do further in Katawal’s case. All the parties have been provided with the copies of the clarification furnished by Katawal for study.

Coming out of the meeting, Prime Minister Dahal ruled out possibility of immediate action against the army chief. He said the government would decide further action only after acquiring consent of all the political parties. “We called the meeting with a view to consult the parties on the issue of government action against the army chief,” said Dahal. “We all agreed that the government should take further step only through consensus.” He said whatever action the government will take will be decided by all the parties.

Speaking at the meeting, prime minister said he initiated action against the army chief to stop the army from turning authoritarian like in Pakistan and Bangladesh and bring it under civilian control, according to Sharma. “The prime minister also drew attention of the parties toward possibility of establishment of military supremacy in the country if the parties unnecessarily politicize the issue,” Sharma said.

Prime minister also clarified at the meeting that he did not intend to establish single-party authoritarianism by controlling the institution of army as propagated by some political parties. “We are committed to doing politics of multiparty competition and genuinely want to bring the peace process to logical end,” said Sharma quoting the prime minister. “There are attempts to term the government action as authoritarian with a view to promote military authoritarianism.”

Prime Minister softened his stance as he failed to get support from a single party including the CPN-UML. UML General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel who supported the government action till Wednesday came up with strong advice to the government not to ignore other parties’ voices. “Still the path of consensus is open and it was the responsibility of the Maoists, as the largest party, to make that consensus,” Pokharel was quoted as saying in the meeting. Another ruling party, Madhesi People’s Rights Forum, leader Upendra Yadav left the meeting hall even without speaking a single word.

Nepali Congress leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said none of the parties supported the government action against the army chief. “All the parties had uniform voice and the prime minister has said he will respect the voices,” said Mahat. Ruling Sadbhawana Party leader Anil Jha said the prime minister must hear the voice of the parties.

According to Ram Kumar Sharma, a Tarai Madhes Democratic Party leader, the prime minister said he did not speculate such a overwhelming reaction on the issue of government’s decision to seek clarification from Katawal.