Dahal, Shrestha groups rap own govt

KIRAN PUN KATHMANDU, July 15: Leaders close to UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha have criticized their own government, saying it could not work in accordance with the party spirit and has rendered the party weak on the issue of nationality. Speaking at the ongoing Central Committee meeting at party headquarters, Perisdanda, they also asked party Vice-chairman and Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai why he signed the BIPPA agreement with India and went for the extradition treaty ordinance. They likewise brought up the question of entrusting security at Tribhuwan International Airport to foreigners. "The government could not move in accordance with the party´s spirit. The government´s decisions have weakened our nationality. What is the fact about the security of Tribhuwan International Airport being entrusted to foreigners?" a CC member quoted Agni Sapkota, who is close to Dahal, as saying at the meeting. Sapkota also alleged that the government could not even carry out ordinary development work. Another leader, Hit Bahadur Tamang, who is also close to Dahal, criticized the government for weakening Nepali nationality. The leaders asked Bhattarai why he entered into the BIPPA agreement with India, pointing out that it was against nationality. "Why was an extradition treaty by ordinance needed? Why did the government go for BIPPA," another CC member quoted Giriraj Mani Pokharel, who is close to Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha, as saying. He also said that the government was not functioning in a collective spirit. Another leader, Bishwabhakta Dulal, who is close to Shrestha, likewise criticized the government over the extradition treaty. According to party CC member Kali Bahadur Malla, Bhattarai on the occasion engaged in self-criticized over the government´s performance. "I appreciate the comments of the comrades. The government could not work properly because of the complex situation," Malla quoted Bhattarai as saying. Speaking at the CC meeting Vice-chairman Bhattarai countered Chairman Dahal´s proposal on doing away with ideological groups, saying that would be hasty. "Factions should be dissolved but ideological groups can exist," another CC member quoted Bhattarai as saying. Dahal had proposed to dissolve the ideological groups also. Expressing his agreement with the spirit of Dahal´s document, Bhattarai added various suggestions to meet the shortcomings that emerged during the review of the party´s emergence. According to CC member Dor Prasad Upadhyaya, Bhattarai said the party should properly evaluate all the parties which merged in the Maoist party, saying Dahal only mentioned Narayan Kaji Shrestha´s CPN (Ekatakendra Masal). Dahal had mentioned that the CPN (Ekatakendra Masal) had operated on the outside while the Maoists were underground during the insurgency. Bhattarai also said that the party should reform its organizational structure in accordance with the state of peace and give concrete shape to this. Dahal had only mentioned in his document that the party could now reform the party organizations in accordance with peace times. The Maoist party organization is still what it was during the insurgency. He said Dahal should make clear in the document that the party is to practice a new ´democratic centralism´. "The old democratic centralism is out of date. The current one which we are practicing as being faithful to Lenin has also failed. It split the party. So we should research and develop new one. And it should come in a concrete fashion," Upadhyaya quoted Bhattarai as saying.from Republica