Bowl in Maoist court; other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 8 May: Maoist Chairman Prachanda said Saturday Maoists won’t sit down for talks with the ruling party until its views are known.
“The bowl is now in their court,” he defiantly told thousands of supporters after abruptly calling off an indefinite nation-wide strike in six days Friday—an anti-government movement to from a national government under his leadership.
“Only the form of the movement has changed; the strike won’t be withdrawn until achievements of the movement are met,” he said.
‘If they [ruling parties] are for peace, they should give their reply within two days,’”
“We are not coming for talks; we are waiting for your reaction,” Pachand added.
He said this while addressing a public meeting at the Open Air Theatre in the capital Saturday one day after calling off an indefinite strike within six days following national and international pressure.
Tens of thousands participated in a peace rally in the capital Friday asking to withdraw their strike within two days as march organizers matched Maoist mobilization of people for their anti-government movement..
The Maoist chief reminded his audience the strike had been withdrawn to prepare for another anti-government movement.
Meanwhile, a meeting of 14 ruling parties convened by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at Baluwatar asked him not to resign immediately amid Maoist demands.
The parties welcomed the strike withdrawal and asked the main opposition to withdraw all strike programmes.
Maoists said Friday the 3rh Jananadolan will continue even as the strike was suspended.
The meeting asked Maoists to present themselves responsibly for peace and democracy.
UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal said government will take demands of opposition seriously and will hold a dialogue for an outlet.
Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba said he’s taken the Maoist strike withdrawal ‘positively’.
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Kamal Thapa chief guest of Mumbai international Hindu meet

Kathmandu, 8 May: RPP-Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa is participating in a world Hindu conference in Mumbai beginning Sunday.
Thapa flew for India to Saturday to participate in the conference of which he is chief guest, party spokesman Mohan Shrestha said.
Central leader of Nepali Congress Khum Bahadur Khadka is also participating in the Mumbai conference.
Khadka is an advocate of a Hindu state in the Congress party which has already declared the former Hindu state secular.
The world’s only Hindu state was declared secular by an elected and self-appointed parliament without a referendum.
More than 80 percent of Nepal’s population are Hindus.
RPP-Nepal has demanded a referendum on a Hindu stare, constitutional monarchy and federalism.
The party collected two million signatures for its referendum call.
Indian main opposition BJP and Maharashtra-based Shiva Sena leaders are addressing the meeting of 1,5000 delegates from 108 countries.
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