Prime Minister Dr. भट्टराईको एक महिने डायरी

(भदौ ११-असोज ११)

भदौ ११ः डा. बाबुराम भट्टराई प्रधानमन्त्रीमा निर्वाचित, विभिन्न नेताहरूद्वारा बधाई तथा तथा शुभकामना, भारतीय प्रधानमन्त्री डा.मनमोहन सिंहद्वारा टोलिफोनमा कुराकानी ।

भदौ १२ः प्रधानमन्त्री भट्टराई माओवादी पदाधिकारी बैठकमा सहभागी, मन्त्रिपरिषद्बारे मधेसी मोर्चासँग छलफल, राष्ट्रपतिनिवासमा शपथ, पुष्पलाल पार्क कीर्तिपुरमा माल्यार्पण, मन्त्रिपरिषद्को पहिलो बैठक, कांग्रेस एमालेलगायतका दललाई सरकारमा सहभागी बन्न आग्रह, सविधानसभा बैठकमा सहभागी, तीन महिना म्याद थप ।

माओवादी उपाध्यक्ष बैद्य र महासचिव बादलले रक्षामन्त्रीको राजीनामा मागे

संसारका मजदुरहरु एक होऔं !                              माक्स्रवाद-लेनिनवाद-माओवाद÷विचार जिन्दावाद !

                                       एकीकृत नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी माओवादी

                                                   केन्द्रीय समिित

                                                                                             मिति ः २०६८ आश्विन ११ गते 

                                                               प्रेस-विज्ञप्ति

सरकारका वर्तमान रक्षामन्त्री श्री शरदिसंह भण्डारीद्वारा २०६८ ९ गते रिपोर्टस् क्लबमा दिइएको ुराष्ट्रघाती वक्तव्युले संपूर्ण देशभक्तहरुलाई स्तब्ध तुल्याएको छ । तराईका बाइस जिल्ल्ााहरुलाई पृथक राज्यको रुपमा घोषणा गर्ने अप्रत्याशित उद्घोषले सबै राष्ट्रप्रेमी तथा देशभक्त जनसमुदायलाई अत्यन्तै आक्रोशित एवं आश्चर्यचकित तुल्याएको छ ।

Chand to block return of seized properties

KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, Sept 26: UCPN (Maoist) Standing Committee Member Netra Bikram Chand, who is close to Senior Vice-Chairman Mohan Baidya, has threatened to block the government bid to return properties seized by the Maoists during the conflict.

Addressing a function in Kathmandu on Sunday, Chand announced that he would go to the places where the government will deploy police to return the seized properties and obstruct the police.

“Wherever Baburam [the prime minister] sends police, I will be there. We will see how the police will fire at us,” a participant in the closed-door meeting quoted Chand as saying.

Chand also accused Bhattarai of forgetting the circumstances in which he became the prime minister, a reference to the Dhobighat meeting based on which Bhattarai became prime minister.

आन्तरिक विवादमा माओवादी र कांग्रेस

 

23/09/2011 19:01:00 नेत्र पन्थी/बालकृष्ण अधिकारी from Naya Patrika

काठमाडौं, ६ असोज : मधेसी मोर्चासँगको चारबुँदे सहमति र हतियार राखेका कन्टेनरको साँचो बुझाउने विषयसँगै जोडिएका विवादमा अगामी १३ असोजमा हुने माओवादी केन्द्रीय समिति बैठकमा चर्को बहस हुने भएको छ । विवाद सुल्झाउन शीर्ष नेताहरूले अनौपचारिक छलफल जारी राखे पनि शुक्रबारसम्म कुनै निष्कर्ष निस्केको छैन ।

I like to identify myself as a radical democrat: Dr Baburam Bhattarai

    
BHOJRAJ POKHAREL/SHRISTHI RANA
Baburam Bhattarai, who would later become a key actor in abolishing the all-powerful monarchy in Nepal, was born poor.
The Bhattarais stayed in the remote backward village of Belbase, Gorkha district. Though down-and-out, the family had seen better daysmany generations ago.
They belong to the priestly class family which helped to install the same Shah dynasty, which Baburam so bitterly opposed, some five centuries ago.

Baidya faction holds national gathering

KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, Sept 22: In a show of strength, the Maoist hard-line faction held a massive gathering of the party leaders and cadres in Kathmandu on Wednesday to sensitize them about the “ideological deviations” of the party leadership and work out a strategy to save the “revolutionary” character of the party.

Over 250 representatives, including district secretaries from all the 75 districts, party´s various sister wings, and party´s foreign branches participated in the gathering at Krishna Bhog Party Palace in New Baneshwar.

Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya, General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa, and standing committee member Dev Gurung delivered firebrand speeches at the gathering, while party Secretary CP Gajurel was the master of ceremony.

Baidya argued that his faction has already launched a struggle against compromises made by the party establishment on the basic principles of Maoism.

School better late than never for top Maoist wives

Shusma

KATHMANDU, Sept 21: For the willing of heart, greying hair is no barrier to learning. This is especially true of the spouses of some senior Maoist leaders, who now have the time and resources to begin their formal education.
At the forefront of this learning effort is Sushma Baidya, 55, wife of senior Maoist Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya. She is a grade six student at Chetana Women’s School of Gangabu, Kathmandu.

“I also have to attend to household chores. Otherwise I would have done better in school,” says Sushma.

She has been diligent enough to reach grade six in three years and is currently preparing for her final exams.

'बाजेको पालाका' घर भत्के

सुन्दर खनाल, भक्तपुर, असोज ३- 
भूकम्पले क्षणभरमै घर भत्किएपछि उनीहरुले छेवैको पाटीमा रात काटे। अनिदो बिताउन घरसँग जोडिएका बाजेबराजुका कथा सम्झे। उज्यालो भएपछि खण्डहर हेर्न मान्छे आएकोआयै गरे, बेलिबिस्तार लगाउँदै दिन बित्यो। फेरि रात कहाँ बिताउने? सोमबार साँझसम्म ठेगान थिएन।
लक्ष्मीनारायण वासुकलाको परिवारले इतिहासै मान्थ्यो, भक्तपुर नगरपालिका-१० व्यासीस्थित घरलाई। ३० इन्च मोटो गारो भएको त्यो नेवारी परम्पराको संरचनाले नब्बे र पैँतालिस सालका भूकम्प थामेको थियो। 'हामीलाई कहिल्यै पुरानो लागेन यो घर, भावना जोडिएकाले होला,' लक्ष्मीनारायणका छोरा एमएस्सी जुलोजीको विद्यार्थी अविस्रापनजले भने।

प्रधानमन्त्रीद्वारा संसदमा सम्बोधन, सहमतिका लागि आह्वान

निर्वाचित भएपछि प्रधानमन्त्रीले पहिलो पटक संसदमा सम्बोधन
Friday, 16 September 2011 12:20 भदौ ३०
सम्माननीय प्रधानमन्त्री डा.बाबुराम भट्टराईले २०६८ भाद्र ३० गते व्यावस्थापिका– संसदमा गर्नु भएको सम्बोधन

सम्माननीय सभामुख महोदय,

संघीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपालको प्रधानमन्त्रीका रुपमा सार्वभौम व्यवस्थापिका संसद समक्ष आफ्नो प्रथम सम्बोधन गर्न पाउँदा मलाई थोरै खुसी र धेरै जिम्मेवारीबोधको मिश्रित अनुभूति भईरहेको छ। इतिहासकै यस महत्तम क्षणमा सर्वप्रथम म संघीयता, गणतन्त्र, लोकतन्त्र र राष्ट्रियताका लागि महान् जनयुद्ध, ऐतिहासिक जनआन्दोलन, मधेश आन्दोलन, जनजाति आन्दोलन, थरुहट आन्दोलन, दलित आन्दोलन, पिछडा वर्ग आन्दोलन र अन्य समुदायद्वारा न्यायोचित मागका लागि भएका आन्दोलनहरुमा आत्मबलिदान गर्ने सम्पूर्ण सहिदहरुप्रति हार्दिक श्रद्धान्जलि व्यक्त गर्दछु। साथै, बेपत्ता तथा घाईते योद्धाहरुप्रति उच्च सम्मान प्रकट गर्दछु। बेपत्ता पारिएका व्यक्तिका परिवारजनहरु, विस्थापित जन, अपाङ्ग, जेल तथा बन्दी जीवन बिताएकाहरुको असीमित कष्ट र पीडाप्रति सहानुभूति प्रकट गर्दै घाइतेहरुको शिघ्र स्वास्थ्यलाभको कामना गर्दछु। ती महान् शहीद, बेपत्ता तथा घाइते योद्धाहरुको असीम त्याग र बलिदानको जगमा आज म आसीन सर्वोच्च कार्यकारी पदको कुर्ची टिकेको छ भन्ने तथ्यलाई म कहिल्यै बिर्सन सक्दिन र उहाँहरुको सपना साकार पार्न निरन्तर लागिरहने प्रतिबद्धता म यहाँ दोहोर्‍याउन चाहन्छु।

Clemency plea likely for convicted Maoists

KIRAN CHAPAGAIN /KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, Sept 13: The government is likely to request India for clemency to ten Maoist leaders including four sitting lawmakers and politburo leaders convicted on treason charges by an Indian high court recently.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayankaji Shrestha told Republica that the government on Monday approached the office of the attorney general for advice.
"We have asked the attorney general to study the legal procedure and how the issue can be resolved," Shrestha said when asked how the government and the Maoist party would deal with the verdict of the Patna High Court.

दुई दिनपछि झुल्किएका प्रचण्डले भने-पारिवारिक समस्या मिलाएँ

'नेपालबाहिर गइनँ, तर कहाँ गएको भन्न मिल्दैन'२५ भदौ, काठमाडौं । वरिपरि जर्दजौं कमाण्डोको सुरक्षा लिएर हिड्ने माओवादी अध्यक्ष प्रचण्ड गत शुक्रबारदेखि कसैलाई पत्तै नदिई हराएपछि फेसबुकदेखि सार्वजनिक मिडियासम्म चर्चा र खोजीका बिषय बने ।
शुक्रबार बिराटनगर बिमानस्थलमा देखिएका प्रचण्ड आइतवार पुन त्यहीं भुल्किए । तर यी दुई दिनमा प्रचण्ड कहाँ गए त्यसबारे पार्टी कार्यकर्ता, संचारकर्मी, सुरक्षा निकाय र जासुसी संयन्त्रले समेत केही पत्तो लाउन सकेनन् ।
यसबिचमा डिभोर्सनजिक पुगेका छोरीज्वाईर्ंको झगडा मिलाउन सिलिगुडी पुगेको, दक्षिण एसियाली माओवादी पार्टीको गोप्य वैठकमा भाग लिन पूर्वी पहाडतिर हानिएको र साँचो बुझाउने बिषयमा असन्तुष्ट पहिलो डिभिजनका लडाकू फकाउन इलाम गएको लगायतका अडकलबाजी काटिए ।

अल्पमतमा परेँ : वैद्य

Sunday, 11 September 2011 11:15 नागरिक
माओवादी उपाध्यक्ष मोहन वैद्यसँग नागरिकका किरण भण्डारीले लिएको अन्तर्वार्ता
सरकारले ल्याएको राहत कार्यक्रम कस्तो छ?-कस्तो कार्यक्रम ल्याउने भनेर पार्टीमा सल्लाह भएको होइन। समग्रमा ठिकै। कतिपय बुँदा अमूर्त र अपुरो छ। धेरै टीकाटिप्पणी नगरौं।

सरकारले पूर्णता नपाएकाले कार्यक्रम अपुरो भएको हो कि? तपाईंको पक्ष कहिले सरकारमा जान्छ?-सरकारले पूर्णता पाउने भनेको हाम्रो विचार समूहको प्रवेशमात्र होइन। कांग्रेस, एमाले र अरू दललाई समेत ल्याउने हो।
केन्द्रीय समिति बैठकपछि मात्र पूर्णता दिनुपर्छ भन्ने कुरा आएको छ। त्यसैअनुसार असोज १ गतेलाई बैठक पनि डाकिएको थियो। प्रधानमन्त्री राष्ट्रसंघको बैठकमा जानुपर्ने भएपछि फेरि सर्‍यो। केन्द्रीयमा छलफल नभई सरकारले पूर्णता पाउँदैन।

Dahal's whereabouts churns rumor mill

KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, Sept 11: Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has a penchant for clandestine trips. Be it within the country or abroad, he has made many secret trips, generating curiosity and controversy.

His sudden trip Friday evening to the eastern part of the country (still not known where exactly) has stirred fresh speculation, rumors-and even conspiracy theories.

First, let´s start with what is known for certain: Chairman Dahal landed at Biratnagar airport Friday evening, accompanied by his wife Sita and son Prakash. He was received by his confidant Haribol Gajurel, a Maoist politburo member.

Nepal’s Peace Process and the ICG Report

Buddhi Man Tamang
Research Intern, IPCS
email: buddhisyangdan@gmail.com

Recently, the International Crisis Group (ICG) published a report titled ‘Nepal’s Fitful Peace Process.’ This comes a month before the extension of the Constituent Assembly’s term by three months for the second time. The report covers four crucial issues: the delay in drafting the constitution, integration and the rehabilitation of the Maoist Army, lack of political consensus among the political parties and the role of international community in facilitating Nepal’s peace process.

यस्तो छ, माओवादी नेतृत्व सरकारले ल्याएको राहत कार्यक्रम

भूमिका
शान्ति प्रक्रियालाई सार्थक निष्कर्षमा पुर्‍याउने र संविधान सभाबाट संविधान निर्माण गर्ने दुई प्रमुख कार्यभार पूरा गर्नका लागि संविधान सभाको निर्वाचन पश्चात गठन भएको यो चौथो सरकार हो। यस अवधिमा राष्ट्रिय राजनीतिले न त उपर्युक्त कार्यभार निर्वाह गर्न सक्यो न त जनजिविकाका सवालहरुमा नै यथेष्ठ ध्यान केन्द्रित गर्न सक्यो। राजनीतिक कार्यसूचीको छायाँमा जनजिविकाका सवालहरु परेकोले गर्दा जनताको जनजीवन कष्टकर हुनुको साथै जनतामा ब्यापक रुपमा निराशा, कुण्ठा तथा आक्रोस श्रृजना भई राज्य प्रतिको जनविश्वासमा ह्रास हुँदै गईरहेको अवस्था छ। यस पृष्ठभूमिमा शान्ति प्रकृया र संविधान निर्माणको अतिरिक्त जनतालाई राहत दिई राज्यप्रतिको जनविश्वास अभिबृद्धि गर्नु सरकारको अर्को महत्वपूर्ण कार्यभार भएकोले नेपाल सरकारले यो तत्काल राहतको कार्यक्रम तर्जुमा गरी कार्यान्वयनमा ल्याएको छ।
मुलुक संक्रमणकालबाट गुज्रिरहेको सन्दर्भमा यसको व्यवस्थापन निकै चुनौतिपूर्ण रहेको छ। एकातर्फ राजनीतिक कार्यभार यथासमयमा सम्पन्न गर्नुपर्ने अवस्था छ भने अर्कोतर्फ मुलुकको आर्थिक सामाजिक विकासको प्रक्रिया तथा जनताको जिउ धनको सुरक्षामा यथेष्ठ ध्यान पुर्‍याउनु पर्ने अवस्था छ। मुलुकको दीर्घकालीन विकासको लागि साझा आर्थिक विकास नीति तथा कार्यक्रम घोषणा गर्न यो सरकारले पहल गर्ने प्रतिवद्धता व्यक्त गर्दछ। निजी क्षेत्रको आत्मविश्वास अभिबृद्धि तथा लगानीको वातावरणमा सुधार गरी आर्थिक गतिविधिको वृद्धिले मात्र सरकारको खर्च गर्ने क्षमताको साथै नेपाली जनताको जीवनस्तर उठ्न सक्दछ भन्ने कुरामा सरकार स्पष्ट छ। तथापि जनताको दैनिक समस्या प्रति राज्यको उपेक्षाभाव कुनैपनि मूल्यमा जनताका लागि स्वीकार्य हुन सक्दैन भन्ने कुरा यो सरकारले बुझेको छ। जनतामा आत्मसम्मान तथा आत्मविश्वास सहित आत्मनिर्भरता एवं स्वाधीनताको भावना जागृत नभएसम्म जस्तोसुकै विकासका नीति र कार्यक्रम ल्याए पनि त्यस प्रति उसको चासो र सहभागिता अभिव्यक्त हुन सक्दैन भन्ने सन्दर्भलाई पनि त्यत्तिकै गंभीरतापूर्वक लिनुपर्दछ।

बाबुरामले पार्टी छाडे पनि संगठन फुटाएनन्

मोहनविक्रम सिंहमहामन्त्री, नेकपा मसाल

मलाई ठ्याक्कै मिति त याद भएन, तर डा.बाबुराम भट्टराईसँग भारतमा सम्पर्क भएको थियो । कानपुरमा विद्यार्थीहरूको सम्मेलन थियो । उहाँ अखिल भारत विद्यार्थी संघको अध्यक्ष हुनुहुन्थ्यो । विद्यार्थी संघले एउटा सेमिनारको आयोजना गरेको थियो । त्यसमा म सहभागी हुन गएको थिए त्यतिवेला नै उहाँसँग सम्पर्क भयो । कानपुरपछि उहाँसँग दिल्लीमा नियमित सम्पर्क भइरह्यो । उहाँले जेनयुबाट पिएचडी गर्दै हुनुहुन्थ्यो । म उहाँको कोठामा गइरहन्थेँ । त्यही दौरानमा नै उहाँ पार्टीमा प्रवेश गर्नुभयो । यो पञ्चायतीकालमा भएकोले मलाई थिति-मिति भने थाहा छैन ।

उहाँलाई मैले सुरुदेखि नै एउटा अत्यन्त इमानदार, काम जिम्मेवारीपूर्ण र लगनशील भएर गर्ने, बुद्धिजीवी अध्ययनशील पात्रका रूपमा पाएँ । त्यसको आधारमा हामीले उहाँलाई कैयौँ जिम्मेवारीहरू दिँदै गयाँै । उहाँले बुद्धिजीवी फाँटमा भारतमा लामो समय काम गर्नुभयो । पछि नेपालमा बुद्धिजीवीको नेतृत्व नभएको महसुस गर्‍यौँ र खासगरी काठमाडौंमा उहाँलाई पठायौँ । उहाँले त्यहाँ पनि दिएको जिम्मेवारी पूरा गर्नुभयो । पछि संयुक्त राष्ट्रिय जनआन्दोलनको दौरानमा संयुक्त राष्ट्रिय जनआन्दोलन परिचालनका रूपमा उहाँले काम गर्नुभयो । उहाँले पार्टीले दिएका हरेक जिम्मेवारी क्षमतापूर्वक, इमानदारिताका साथ पूरा गर्नुहुन्थ्यो । उहाँको चारित्रिक मुख्य विशेषता भनेकै कुनै पनि कामलाई इमानदारिताका साथ लगनशील भएर गर्नु हो । 

यस्तो थियो माओवादीको धोबीघाट प्रतिबद्धता

पार्टीको अगाडि क्रान्तिकारी रुपान्तरण र पार्टी एकताको विकल्प छैन । त्यसको लागि हामीले अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय कम्युनिस्ट आन्दोलनको अनुभवको सश्लेषण एवम† प्रतिक्रान्तिका शिक्षाहरुलाई आत्मासात गरी सङगठनात्मक प्रणालीलाई सामूहिक नेतृत्वको अवधारणाको प्रयोग जनवादी केन्द्रीयताको अभ्यास र नया ढङगको पार्टी निमाण्र्ँलाई केन्द†रमा राखेका छौं । परन्तु पार्टीको मूल नेतृत्वमा देखापरेको नोकरशाही एकाधिकारवादी प्रवृत्तिले गर्दा आज पार्टी रुपान्तरित हुन सकिरहेको छैन । पार्टी पद्धतिविहीन बन्दै गइरहेको छ । बैठकहरु पटक-पटक अनिण्र्ँयको बन्दी बनिरहेका छन । केही निर्णहरु लिइयो भने पनि ती व्यवहारमा क्रियान्वयन भइरहेका छैनन† । पार्टी विधान तथा दस्तावेजहरु परित हुदै थीन्कदै गरिराखेका छन† । व्यवहारमा व्यक्तिवाद देखापर्दै गइरहेको छ ।

Do Bees Have Feelings?

Jason Castro 
If you’ve never watched bees carefully, you’re missing out. Looking up close as they gently curl and uncoil their tapered mouths toward food, you sense that they’re not just eating, but enjoying. Watch a bit more, and the hesitant flicks and sags of their antennae seem to convey some kind of emotion. Maybe annoyance? Or something like agitation?
Whether bees really experience any of these things is an open scientific question. It’s also an important one with implications for how we should treat not just bees, but the great majority of animals. Recently, studies by Geraldine Wright and her colleagues at Newcastle University in the UK have rekindled debate over these issues by showing that honeybees may experience something akin to moods.

On the Road

Ari N. Schulman
The air was soft,
the stars so fine,
the promise of every cobbled alley so great,
that I thought I was in a dream.

—Jack Kerouac

If we are to take seriously the promise these technologies make to facilitate our experience of new places, we must understand not only the technologists’ view, but our own, and ask how the new technology of location fits in with what we hope to get out of travel. And there is no greater sage for those hopes in the American conscience than Jack Kerouac. While On the Road’s reputation rather outstrips the literary merits of the book itself, the mythology surrounding it taps into our deeper aspirations for the possibility, freedom, and adventure granted by travel, and deserves to be taken seriously in understanding what we seem to want out of travel today.

माओवादीमा नातेदार नेताहरूको सञ्जाल

एकीकृत माओवादी त्यस्तो पार्टी हो, जसको केन्द्रीय तहमा अविवाहित नेताहरूको पंक्ति पनि ठूलो छ र आपसमा नाता-सम्बन्ध भएका नेताहरूको सञ्जाल पनि त्यत्तिकै परसम्म फैलिएको छ । केन्द्रीय तहमा राजनीतिक सम्बन्ध मात्रै होइन, नातेदारी सम्बन्ध हुनेहरू पनि थुप्रै छन् । राज्य समिति र जिल्ला समितिसम्म पुग्दा त पारिवारिक जालो झनै फराकिलो पाइन सक्छ । पार्टी सर्वोच्च नेतृत्व अर्थात् अध्यक्षदेखि विधायक सदस्य अर्थात् सभासद्सम्मको पारिवारिक जालो पनि कम फराकिलो छैन । 

माओवादी अध्यक्ष प्रचण्ड र केन्द्रीय सल्लाहकार टिबी पाठकबीच सम्धी साइनो छ । प्रचण्डपुत्री रेणु र पाठकपुत्र अर्जुनबीच विवाह भएको छ, उनीहरू पनि पार्टीमै छन् । त्यसो त अध्यक्ष प्रचण्डपत्नी सीता पौडेल पनि पार्टीको केन्द्रीय सल्लाहकार सदस्य छिन् । उपाध्यक्ष मोहन वैद्य 'किरण' र पार्टी पोलिटब्युरो सदस्य एवं पूर्वसूचना तथा सञ्चारमन्त्री अग्निप्रसाद सापकोटाबीच पनि सम्धीको नातो छ ।

We won't join govt until keys handover row is settled: Gajurel

REPUBLICA
Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya 'Kiran' faction in the UCPN (Maoist) decided to stay out of government over the key handover row though it has put off all protest programs until September 18.

In this context, Republica´s Kiran Pun caught up with Secretary Chandra Prakash Gajurel 'Gaurab', an influential member of the Baidya faction, Sunday evening to solicit his views on the faction´s future strategies. Excerpts:
You were supposed to get the berths of deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs. Why did you not join the government?
We are not in favor of joining the government until the issue of keys handover is settled. We wanted the issue to get settled first before the government got full shape. But Prachandaji (Pushpa Kamal Dahal) and Baburamji (the prime minister) did not agree. This has closed the doors for us to join the government.

Handover hots up Maoist Standing Committee

KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, Sept 4: Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has conceded that there were some procedural shortcomings while handing over the keys of the weapons containers to the Special Committee, but justified his action saying the party Standing Committee had already endorsed the decision unanimously.

"We should have informed party colleagues about the move. But it is also true that the party Standing Committee had already formally endorsed it," a party leader quoted Dahal as saying during the Standing Committee meeting that saw a heated debate between party hardliners and moderates.

The hardliners, justifying their protest against the handover, insisted that the party had decided not to hand over the keys before finalizing the modality for integration and the rehabilitation packages.

"It is a deception against the party. We had clearly decided at the last meeting not to hand over the keys," one leader quoted hardliner Netra Bikram Chand as saying. Party leaders said the hardliners were aggressive at the meeting.

Dahal sends PLA commanders to cantonments

KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, Sept 3: Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday sent all the seven divisional commanders to their cantonments, cutting short their stay in Kathmandu in view of the likely untoward incidents in cantonments in the wake of the row in the party over the key handover issue.

The division commanders had arrived in the capital for a general staff meeting. The discussion on technical aspects of integration on Saturday. But the meetings have been canceled as they had to return to their respective cantonments on Friday.

“We returned to our respective cantonments following the party chairman´s directive,” Suk Bahadur Roka Magar, division commander at the second division of the PLA Cantonment, told Republica.

Rift widens in Maoist party on peace process

KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, Sept 3: The intra-party rift in the UCPN (M) has widened further with the faction led by Senior Vice Chairman Mohan Baidya on Friday announcing a nationwide campaign against the party decision to hand over the keys of arms containers to the Special Committee.

Defying calls by the party leadership, the Baidya faction decided to launch a “national awareness campaign” starting Saturday.

Leaders from the faction told Republica that they would paint walls and hold corner meetings to protest the party establishment´s decision to hand over the keys of the arms containers to the Special Committee.

Baidya and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa on Friday evening issued a statement demanding that the party chairman and the government scrap the decision.

As the feud intensifies, Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Friday morning issuing a statement appealed to the party rank and file and the general public not be provoked by the activities of Baidya faction and instead support the party decision. Dahal said the party´s decision is legitimate and termed the activities of Baidya as being against the party system.

Madhes-based parties likely to get one more ministry

REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, Sept 3: In a bid to settle the power-sharing row with the Madhes-based parties, who had played key role in electing him as the new prime minister, Dr Baburam Bhattarai is mulling over allocating one more ministerial berth to them in the new government.

The prime minister showed willingness to accede one more ministry to the Madhesi leaders bifurcating either Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives or the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works into two.

Leaders from the UCPN (Maoist) and Madhes-based parties reached the agreement to this effect at the meeting held at the prime minister´s office in Singha Durbar, Friday.

After being assured of one more ministerial berth in the new coalition, the Madhes-based parties have softened their claim over the deputy prime ministerial posts. As per the earlier arrangement, the Madhes-based parties were to get 11 ministries. But later the power-sharing arrangement hit a snag after chiefs of different Madhes-based parties staked claims over the post of deputy prime minister.

PLA brass pose Dahal tough questions

KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, Sept 1
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal faced a tough time on Thursday when PLA personnel expressed doubts over the party´s move to integrate them in a “dignified manner”, and asked the chairman what roles he planned for them.

“We abide by the party´s decision. You should chart out a concrete plan of action for us; what roles would we play in future,” Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, sixth division commander, quoted all the commanders as saying to the chairman.

The party had held a meeting at Dahal´s residence at Nayabazar to give directives to the commanders to comply with the party decision to hand over the weapons container keys to the Special Committee.

Baidya demands 'suicidal' keys handover scrapped

POST B BASNET/KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, Sept 2: Taking strong exception to the decision to hand over the arms container keys to the Special Committee, the Maoist hardline faction led by Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya has demanded scrapping of the decision which is "suicidal" for the party.

"We strongly condemn -- and object to -- the decision and call on all the authorities concerned to immediately scrap the suicidal decision," reads a statement signed by Baidya.

The party hardliners, in the statement, alleged that the "sudden and surprising decision" to hand over the keys of the weapons containers to the Special Committee by 5 p.m. Thursday was an attempt to dissolve the PLA.