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.
“We should counter them [party establishment] ideologically for now, and our future course depends on the moves of the party establishment,” a participant quoted Baidya as saying.

Baidya, who leads the party hard-line faction, argued that there is nothing like a majority or minority when it comes to issues of revolution.

“They have already enmeshed the party into dirty parliamentary politics,” the participant quoted Baidya. The party establishment has been saying that they have a comfortable majority in the party central committee to get their decisions endorsed.

According to the participants, Baidya also stated that he made a mistake during the insurgency by supporting Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal in the latter´s maneuverings to centralize power in his own hands.

Party General Secretary Thapa was more aggressive against Dahal and accused him of joining hands with the Indian establishment and India´s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

“The Indian establishment and the RAW members have become his family members. Now it is time we chose whether we want revolution or Indian domination,” a leader quoted Thapa.

He also bashed Dahal for hobnobbing with the people who operate “dubious businesses.”

The party general secretary came down heavily on Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai for handing over the keys of the weapons containers to the Special Committee and the decision to return the lands and buildings seized by the party cadres.

“They decided to return the land of the feudal lords. Now they should clarify what we mean by the term “people”, whether it is a handful of feudal lords or the poor,” another participant quoted Thapa.

Thapa argued that he took a “neutral” position amidst the growing factionalism in the party so that he could bridge the gap and drive the party on the path of revolution, but that he can no longer do so.

Similarly, Dev Gurung accused the government of preparing to make compromises on the issue of national sovereignty. “This government has become the most acquiescent since the one that signed the Sugauli treaty,” a leader quoted Gurung.

The Maoists are holding their central committee meeting on Sept 30 to take up the controversial issues, including the keys handover and return of the seized properties.

The disgruntled hard-line faction has not joined the government, accusing it of making compromises on the party´s fundamental principles.
Published on 2011-09-22 03:00:25