Nepal Army calls for referendum to secede on secular state

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 16 Feb: Nepal Army has suggested major issues like a secularism, citizenship and future state structure and other main issues should be decided only through a referendum while drafting the constitution, Kantipur reports.
This was suggested in a book to the national interest committee of parliament Friday chaired by Amik Serchan.
The suggestions are incorporated in a 52-page book.
“We presented the suggestions after extensive discussions,” Army Spokesman Brig Gen Ramindra Chetri said.
Only the Nepali people can decide on religious and cultural identify, the suggestions say.
Decision shouldn’t be taken only through political or party lines.
Nepal, a Hindu monarchy until April 2006, was declared a secular state by a parliament reinstated by King Gyanendra through a ‘political decision’ and without popular participation.
King Prithvi Narayan Shah should be a symbol of national unity, the army suggests.
The national security council should be headed by the army chief, the suggestion says, according to Rajdhani.
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Ram Karki being appointed ambassador to India

Kathmandu, 16 Feb: In a test case that might diplomatically ‘embarrass’ India, or at least project the giant neighbour ‘morally weak’, the government headed by CPN-M is likely to nominate Ram Karki, alias Partha Chhetri, as Nepal’s ambassador to India, newsfront reports.
India had chosen to hand KArki, a wanted ‘terrorist’ over to the Nepal authorities for trial while ignoring the presence of many other senior Nepali Maoists leaders on its soil in 2004.
This, however, is not the first time a Nepali political leader, tried or arrested in India for criminal charges, is being sent back as ambassador to Delhi.
Chakra Prasad Bastola of Nepali Congress, who was facing a place hijacking case in Bihar, as posted as ambassador way back in 1991.
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Former king to give message to nation

Kathmandu, 16 Feb: Former King Gyanendra is to issue a message to the nation on 7 Falgun Wednesday, Janabhavana reports.
He is giving continuity to past practice.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“We’ve received information not only Congress but some CPN-UML leaders are plotting a downfall of government. But the government fall just because some wish so.”

(Baburam Bhattarai, Rajdhani, 16 Feb.)

:Prachanda is welcome in my party if he reforms himself; he’s also said he’s also come if he fails.”

(Maoist defector Matrika Prasad Yadav, Naya Patrika, 16 Feb.)
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