KATHMANDU, May 1: Ruling Madhesi People´s Rights Forum on Friday urged the government not to take action against army chief General Rookmangud Katawal without forging national consensus. [break]
Terming government action against army chief a sensitive issue, the third largest ruling party said it would not accept the decision to sack the army chief if it is taken unilaterally by the Maoists.
"Consensus among all the political parties is essential to take decision on such a sensitive issue," said MPRF parliamentary party leader and Minister for Physical Planning and Works Bijay Gachchhadar.
"Since we still have a long way to go for bringing the peace process to a logical conclusion and accomplish the task of state restructuring, we should not demoralize the army at this point," he said. "We should keep the army away from politics."
He said the government should abide by the Common Minimum Program reached during the time of forming the coalition. "This is a coalition government and a single party cannot take decision on such an important issue." He said the CMP has made it mandatory for the ruling parties to forge consensus among the ruling parties while taking decisions on the issues of security agencies.
Gachchhadar said the government has the authority to seek clarification from the chiefs of security agencies but seeking clarification itself is an action so no further action should be taken concerning the army out of partisan interest.
Most MPRF members urged the party leadership not to support the government action against the army chief.
At a meeting of the MPRF parliamentary party, MPRF lawmakers said it would be harmful for the country to demoralize Nepal Army, according to Ram Janam Chaudhari, chief whip of the party.
Informing the media persons, Chaudhari said, "Almost all the members who have spoken so far have urged the party leadership not to support the government if the Maoists take the decision without first reaching political consensus."
Senior leaders of the third largest ruling party were divided on the issue of government action against the army chief. MPRF chief Upendra Yadav is currently on a tour to Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. His deputy, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister JP Gupta, has been supporting the government action while others have strongly opposed.
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