Decision should not focus on arms management: Former PM Bhattarai

Former prime minister and founding member of the Nepali Congress, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, has urged the government and Maoists to establish lasting peace and democracy in the country and added that decisions should not focus on arms management.



Former prime minister and founding member of the Nepali Congress, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. (File photo)

Former Premier Bhattarai, who is India to attend a programme organised by the South Asian Civil Initiatives on the occasion of the centenary of the satyagraha launched by Mahatma Gandhi, said, “No weapons-centric decision should be made. Those keeping arms have to know and learn when to lay down arms.”

Bhattrai further said that weapons should be separated from the Maoists and the government should also set aside its arms.

Bhattarai said that he met Mahatma Gandhi during his education period in Kashi in 2007 BS. He said that he had urged Gandhi to write a letter to the Ranas in Nepal to release leaders, including BP Koirala, from jail. When the Indian papers, after getting a whiff of Gandhi writing the letter published the news, the Ranas released BP Koirala.

Bhattarai also demanded the release of Myanmar’s Aung San Suuki and said, “Suuki should be allowed to travel freely.”

Speaking at the function, vice chairperson of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) Prakash Man Singh alleged that Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is hindering the unity of two congress parties.

"Our party president Sher Bahadur Deuba had put forward a proposal to carry out necessary homework by constituting a six-member task force- three from each party but Koirala rejected this outright saying that he himself would handle everything, as a result the unification process has gotten nowhere," Singh added.

Singh further said, "Koirala has been asking us to join his party but we want dignified unity, not just mere unity."

Representatives of socialist parties of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet attended the function. nepalnews.com pb Oct 29 06