Army opposed PM Prachanda’s directive to stop recruitment

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 27 Dec: Prime Minister Prachanda and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Rukmangud Katawal held discussions Friday on security issues including recruitment to fill vacancies in Nepal Army.
Maoists are opposed to the recruitment and have threatened to start recruitment in the PLA as well amid charges army was violating a peace accord.
The meeting comes after UNMIN formally said the army recruitment was against the spirit of a peace accord between government and Maoists.
According to highly placed source, the prime minister directed the army chief to stop recruitment, Nepal Samacharpatra reports.
But a high military source said the army chief told the prime minister the process in its final stages cannot be stopped even from a legal standpoint.
Fifty thousand have applied to fill 2,400 vacancies.
Meanwhile, three ruling parties and the main opposition Nepali Congress agreed to resolve a dispute in the formation of a special committee for army integration by expanding the committee by including two party representatives from each party in the committee as demanded by Congress.
But a new problem emerged with Maoist demand Prime Minister Prachanda should now head the committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Bamdeb Gautam; Congress opposed the fresh Maoist demand.
Maoists, CPN-UML, MJF and Nepali Congress are in the committee.
Only two months remain to integrate nearly 19,000 former Maoist combatants in the army.
Major parties are opposed to mass integration of Maoists in Nepal Army.
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Prices of POL products

Kathmandu, 27 Dec: Prices of POL were reduced Saturday for the fourth time in three months.
LPG price was slashed by Rs 50 to Rs 1,150 per cylinder.
Petrol price was reduced Rs 5 to Rs 80.50 per liter; diesel and kerosene price were reduced Rs 1 to Rs 59.50 per liter.
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Former army chief cleared

Kathmandu, 27 Dec: Former Army Chief Gen Pyar Jung Thapa was cleared Friday by CIAA on charge of mismanaging nearly Rs 18 million in state funds.
Gen Thapa was charged for mismanaging the money during the April 2005 movement that toppled a royal regime.
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Indian leader in town

Kathmandu, 27 Dec: Ruling Indian National Congress General Secretary DP Tripathi arrived Friday.
He is holding consultations with Prime Minister Prachanda and other political party leaders.
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Bhrikuti Paper Mill closed down

Kathmandu, 27 Dec: Bhrikuti Paper Mill in Nawalparasi and Nepal’s largest paper mill, has closed down.
Workers are demanding increased pay to match increase salary of government employees.
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Former crown princes Himani flies for Paris

Kathmandu, 27 Dec: Former Crown Princess Himani flew Friday for Paris where she is expected to stay for two weeks.
Her husband Paras, who was also in town, left for Singapore Sunday.
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Explosion in terai school

Kathmandu, 27 Dec: Nobody was injured in an explosion at a school near Rajbiraj overnight.
Violence continues unabated in the south.
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Nepal Airlines to fly to Doha

Kathmandu, 27 Dec: Nepal Airlines will start thrice weekly flights between Kathmandu and Doha from 1 January 2009.
Nepal Airlines will fly to Doha, in Qatar, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Doha is the state airlines’ second destination in the Gulf.
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Two Maoists surrender

Kathmandu, 27 Dec: Two Maoists accused for attacking staff at Himalmedia Sunday surrendered to local authorities in Lalitpur Friday.
Ramesh Babu Pant and Ramesh KC surrendered; they will be produced before authorities Sunday.,
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Sri Lankan president coming

Kathmandu, 27 Dec: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajpakshya is arriving
In February 2009, according to Annapurna Post.
PM Prachanda invited him while attending the September session of the UN general assembly.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Monarchy has ended; but monarchy’s presence in society, political parties and tradition still hasn’t fallen.”

(PM Prachanda, Janadisha, 27 Dec.)

“Koirala’s [Girija] psychology in undoubtedly authoritarian. This has crated a lot of problems in Congress.”l

(Pradip Giri, Naya Patrika, 27 Dec.)

“The prime minister has forgotten the national dress. I salute the president for honouring the national dress.”

(Madhav Kumar Nepal, The Kathmandu Post, 27 Dec.)