Kathmandu: Amid a row over Premier Madhav
Kumar Nepal`s resignation, Maoists have accused the government
of betrayal, claiming it had breached a pledge to remove him,
even as a top party in the ruling coalition asked the former
rebels to fulfil their commitment towards the peace process.
In a statement issued at the end of a key meeting of its
Standing Committee, the UCPN-Maoist alleged that the Nepali
Congress-CPN-UML alliance had breached the verbal commitment
made to the former rebels to remove the Prime Minister so as
to pave the way for a national consensus government.
Though Nepal had agreed to step down to secure the
support of Maoists -- who have nearly 40 per cent seats in the
Parliament -- to extend by one year the Constituent Assembly`s
term that was to expire on May 28, the ruling alliance said
there was no timeframe for the Prime Minister to quit
The ruling coalition had "betrayed" the country and the
people by "misinterpreting" the three-point agreement reached
with Maoists on May 28, the statement by the former rebels
said last night.
The Maoists also threatened to launch a new
anti-government agitation, claiming that the ruling alliance
had assured them that Nepal would resign by Wednesday last.
In response to the Maoists` statement, Nepali Congress
(NC) General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi said today that the
Maoists should show sincerity by fulfilling their commitments
relating to peace process and Constitution-drafting before
seeking the Premier`s resignation.
"It is the Maoists who have betrayed us and not the other
way round," Nidhi said, dismissing the former rebels` claim
that the ruling alliance had assured them that Premier Madhav
Kumar Nepal would resign soon after the extension of the
Constituent Assembly`s term.
Maoists have breached past agreements and understandings
a number of times and have not shown sincerity to the
Constitution-making and peace processes, he said to a news agency after a high-level meeting between Nepali Congress and CPN-UML at the Prime Minister`s residence.
The former rebels should first agree to a timetable and
modalities to complete the peace process, including
rehabilitation of their combatants and their integration with
army, and drafting of the Constitution before asking the
Prime Minister to resign, he said.
Nidhi said the Prime Minister is ready to tender his
resignation provided the Maoists agree on a time-bound plan to
return properties seized by them during insurgency, dissolve
their paramilitary structure called Young Communist League and
manage their combatants.
PTI
