Has details of PM Prachanda, Manmohan Singh talks

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 13 Nov: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh Wednesday evening discussed current Nepali politics, bilateral cooperation, controversial integration of armies and other issues in New Delhi.
Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Foreign Secretary Shiva Shankar Menon and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood assisted Singh.
Joint Secretary Pradumna Bikram Shah at the foreign ministry said the two prime ministers agreed to rejuvenate a secretary-level committee to review the 1950 Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty while assessing progress in bilateral ties after they last met in 17 September.
Dahal and Singh were satisfied with results of follow-up meetings after the September meeting.
Prachanda addressed the second summit of the eight-nation BIMSTEC Thursday.
The summit will launch an anti-terrorist regional pact.
Foreign Minister Upendra Wednesday discussed border problems of Kalapani and Susta with his counterpart Pranab Mukherjee.
Yadav said,” …both sides agreed to look forward to resolving the problems with a sense of urgency.”
They discussed expediting the reconstruction of the East-West Highway damaged by the Kosi floods; the damage has cutoff east and west Nepal.
Mukherjee arrives 24 November to continue talks in the Nepali capital.
He is coming when the political situation
is fluid with main opposition Nepali Congress declaring a jihad against the Maoist-led government.
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Constitution drafting work begins mid-December

Kathmandu, 13 Nov: Work of drafting the constitution will begin mid-December, CA Chairman Subash Nemwang said Wednesday.
Rules and regulations for a drafting has been completed and is awaiting CA approval.
Fourteen committees will begin work after the approval.
Seven months after the CA election, work on drafting the constitution hasn’t begun.
An unelected parliament in a 2005 constitutional coup, trashed the 1990constitution described as one of the best in the world by prominent political leaders, including Girija Prasad Koirala and Madhav Kumar Nepal.
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Postponed Maoist meet on 20 Nov.

Kathmandu, 13 Nov: The postponed national workers’ meet of the CPN (Maoist) will now be held in the capital from 20 November, Mohan Baidya Kiran, the party’s organizational chief said.
The meeting scheduled for 5 November was suspended following internal differences on declaring the country a people’s republic; PM Prachanda and Dr Baburam Bhattarai group oppose the hard stance.
The Prachanda faction wants to consolidate the gains of a democratic federal republic.
The party central committee meets Sunday ahead of the national meet.
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Another major highway accident kills six, injures 36

Kathmandu, 13 Nov; Another major highway accident killed six persons and injured 36 passengers in Sunsari overnight, police said.
The accident occurred when the driver of an overcrowded bus attempted to avert a collision with a bus traveling between Kakadvitta and Dharan.
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Minister Jha confirms meeting rebels in Bihar

Kathmandu, 13 Nov: Controversial Local Development Minister Ram Chandra Jha confirmed meeting terai rebels across the border in Bihar in an attempt to begin formal talks on regional southern demands by mid-December.
Jha , who returned to the capital Wednesday, said the meetings were ‘unofficial’; he’s member of a three-member government negotiating team headed by Maoist Peace Minister Janardhan Sharma Prabhakar.
Minister Mrs Renu Yadav also visited Bihar for talks with rebels.
Like Maoists during their insurgency, terai rebels are conducting their campaign from across the border.
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Hash factory raided

Kathmandu, 13 Nov: Police Wednesday raided a hashish factory in posh Babsbari run by a foreigner identified only William and recovered seven kg refined hash and two kg narcotic liquid.
William, whose nationality, wasn’t revealed is absconding since 25 June.
Devi Bahadur Bhujel, suspected of helping William operate the factory for nine years, has been arrested.
Equipment and literature to manufacture drugs have been recovered by police.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Having positioned himself firmly at the helm of Maoist hardliners, Baidya has gradually emerged as the leader of the opposition. Ordinarily, that role should have gone to Nepali Congress President Girija Prsad Koirala.”

(Maila Baje, People’s Review, 13 Nov.)
‘CPN (Maoist) has not seized anyone’s land and assets. We should not be blamed if others resort to land and assets’ seizure.”

(Dr Baburam Bhattarai, The Himalayan Times, 13 Nov.)

“We have learnt the bitter truth that making genuine complaints against the rich and mighty is entirely counterproductive.”

(Parents of a German girl allegedly raped by son [freed on bail] of a Goa minister in Indian beach resort, PTI report, Times of India, 11 Nov.)

‘Victims of conflict haven’t been given money because of a cash crunch; there’s no help for the poor and helpless; democracy has been mocked by distributing one million rupees largesse to CA members without an electoral constituency.”

(Sharada Pokhrel, Nepal Samacharpatra, 13 Nov.)