Maoists ready to pay the price for fulfilling people's wish: PM Dahal
With his government facing widespread criticism from different sides,
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday said his party the Unified
CPN (Maoist) is ready to pay any kind of price to fulfill the people's
aspiration for peace.
Addressing the 14th anniversary of the "People's War" the Maoist fought
against the state and the 8th People's Liberation Army (PLA) Day organised
at Pariwartan Smriti Brigade under the 4th Division of the Maoist PLA in
Nawalparasi district, PM Dahal claimed that conspiracies are being hatched
to topple the Maoist led-government and called on all sides to unite to
defend the gains of the peace process.
He also said that the "era of peace" has started in the country while
requesting the PLA army to "make sacrifices" for the sake of peace.
Saying that army integration, peace process and drafting of a new
constitution are the main responsibilities that lies on the shoulders of
the government, he warned that the party will come heavily against anyone
trying to create obstruction in this crucial task.
The programme venue was well-decorated to celebrate the annual function
with fanfare and gusto.
In the function the PLA had staged a parade in the honor of PM Dahal.
Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai
including senior ministers from the party as well as Maoist party's
organizational head Mohan Baidya, senior leaders Narayankaji Shrestha and others had participated in the programme.
There was conspicuous absence of President Dr Ram Baran Yadav in the
programme although he was sent an invitation to attend it.
Similarly, foreign envoys had also boycotted the function but
representatives from United Nations Mission in Nepal and United Nation
Development Fund were present at the programme, reports said.
Earlier, in a message issued for the occasion, PM Dahal said that the main
agenda of his party is to write an inclusive people's constitution and
establish "sustainable peace" and called on all to unite to realise this.
He also said that the responsibility of writing a new constitution lay on
the shoulders of his party because of the very reason that it had led over
a decade long people's war.
Fourteen years ago to this day the then Maoist party renounced
parliamentary politics and formally announced the start of an armed
insurgency by putting forth various demands, including declaration of
Nepal as a republic and holding Constituent Assembly elections. nepalnews.com ag Feb 12 09
