Kathmandu: A row has erupted in Nepal
over a "secret agreement" between Prime Minister Jhalanath
Khanal and Maoist supremo Prachanda, with the Nepali Congress condemning the pact that deals with the country`s
stalled peace process.
Just as Khanal was sworn in as the new prime minister
today, second largest Nepali Congress party, condemned the
"secret agreement" between Khanal and Prachanda on the
country`s peace process, including the integration of the
former rebels into the army.
The Central Working Committee meeting of the Nepali
Congress flayed the seven-point "secret agreement" linked to
the peace process and the monitoring of the arms and the army
of the former Maoist combatants.
The deal reached between the two leaders, especially
those regarding integration and rehabilitation of Maoist
combatants blatantly violated interim constitution, 2006
Comprehensive Peace Accord and other agreements between
previous governments and the Maoist party, said CWC member
Bimalendra Nidhi.
Khanal was elected the prime minister after Maoist
supremo Prachanda quit the race in his favour in a last minute
deal on Thursday.
Nepali Congress today took serious exception to the
Maoist-UML agreement to form a separate force composed either
of equal number of both the Maoist combatants and government
security forces or of only Maoist combatants, Nidhi said after
the CWC meeting.
"The question of integration is something that has to
be decided at the Special Committee. It`s not a matter to be
resolved through any secret deal between two parties," the
Nepali Congress said.
"Nepali Congress condemns the agreement reached
between the two that violates the peace process," it said in a
statement.
The CWC meeting said the seven-point deal went
directly against the interim constitution, the Agreement on
Monitoring of the Management of Arms and Armies (AMMAA) and
all the past agreements in course of the peace process.
The Nepali Congress decided to be in the Opposition
and constructively and creatively involve itself in the peace
process and constitution drafting through the Constituent
Assembly.
"Nepali Congress decides to remain in the opposition
in the present context," the release said.
"NC will decide about its views towards the government
after studing the policy and programmes of the government?
it said.
There is growing anger in a section of the CPN-UML
party and the Nepali Congress, which supported the Communist
party-led government since 2009, over the "secret deal" with
the Maoists, sources said.
Even as Khanal was sworn in as the new prime minister,
the cabinet formation was delayed amid differences with its
key ally Maoists. Now Khanal is likely to form a small cabinet
tomorrow.
PTI
