KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, Feb 8: Facing potential anarchy inside the party, the UCPN (Maoist) on Wednesday decided to provide members of its Young Communist League (YCL) ´relief packages´ from the party´s own funds.
Responding to the demands of the disgruntled YCL members that they be given financial packages on par with the PLA members, a meeting of the party Standing Committee took a decision to this effect.
On Monday, the YCL members locked all the party offices in the Western Nepal, and announced that they will boycott all party functions, prevent party central committee (CC) members from visiting the western region and seize the vehicles and property of party leaders and PLA commanders.
After the Standing Committee meeting on Tuesday, the leaders they will determine the packages after necessary homework.
"We decided to provide cash relief in bulk to those who had quit the PLA to join the YCL," said party secretary C P Gajurel.
According to Standing Committee member Netra Bikram Chand, the party will try to provide YCL members amounts more or less equal to what PLA combatants opting for voluntary retirement get. PLA combatants who chose voluntary retirement are getting between Rs 500,000 and Rs 800,000.
The party will not make available such packages to lawmakers, ministers and others who are also the members of the YCL and have been enjoying other benefits.
There are nine lawmakers from the YCL. Uma Bhujel, Kiran Rai, Sabitra Dura, Bhagat Bahadur Baduwal, Chandra Bahadur Thapa, Nara Bahadur Bista, Khuma Subedi, Jun Kumari Roka Magar, and Devendra Prasad Patel, who defeated UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal from Rautahat. Similarly, the members of the interim legislature including Sita BK from the YCL will also not get the cash relief.
According to leaders, the cash relief packages will be given to those who fought at least for three years during the insurgency .
It is estimated that around 6500 PLA members joined the YCL formed in 2007.
Gajurel also said has will request the government to provide cash relief to UNMIN-disqualified combatants within a month.
UNMIN had disqualified 4008 personnel from the cantonments, and neither the government nor the party has announced any relief package for them.
The Maoist party has also urged the government to make separate arrangements for the injured, physically disabled, and nursing mothers among the combatants.
The meeting on Tuesday also decided to ask the PLA to provide food allowance to the PLA guards providing security to senior party leaders.
A struggle committee of the PLA guards led by Dhan Bahadur Bogati stated that the 65 guards have not received food allowances.
Likewise, the party said that it agrees with the report of the of the majority in the State Restructuring Commission to turn Nepal into an identity-based federalism, but added that it doesn´t agree with the way provinces have been delineated.
"Chitwan has been divided, while there are no Bhote-Lama and Sherpa provinces. We still agree with the report of CA´s State Restructuring Committee and its 14-state model. But we are flexible for the sake of consensus," Gajurel said.
The party also picked the names of the leaders who are going to speak at the rallies on the anniversary of the People´s War on February 13.
Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya and Barsha Man Pun will address the rally in the capital. Prime Minister and party vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai, General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa, Secretary CP Gajurel, Post Bahadur Bogati and Netra Bikram Chand will address rallies in Pokhara, Biratnagar, Dhanagadhi, Butwal respectively.
Likewise, party Standing Committee member Netra Bikram Chand, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Lilamani Pokharel will address ralliles in Dang, Nepagunj and Dadheldhura respectively.
from Republica English Daily newspaper
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