PRESIDENT VISITS NABA DURBA BHAWAMI TEMPLE IN BHAKTAPUR

Kathmandu, 22 Oct.: Former King Gyanendra cancelled plans at the last moment visit Bhaktapur Friday and receive tika and prasad at Naba Durga Durba Bhawni temple at the town, the temple management said.
The town is a bastion of a splinter communist group led by Narayanman Bijukakchaya since the panchayat days.
It wasn’t known if government intervened again to prevent the former king’s visit to Bhaktapur for a purely religious function.
But the visit of the then king to religious shrines is posing a serious challenge to the government that hasn’t been able to institutionalize a declared republic even in two years after the election of a constituent assembly whose elected term has been extended by a body whose tenure has ended.
Government previously intervened to prevent the then king to move out of his residence at Nirmal Niwas and attend a programme in Basantapur square to felicitate nine former Kumaris or Living Goddesses. During Indra Jatra.
Following the precedent of ousted kings, President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, a Hindu. Friday received tika and prasad at the Naba Durga Bhawani temple in Bhaktapur of the last day of Dasain.
What will happen if a Muslim is elected president? Willhe atnd a Hindu,Buddhist festival in a largely Hindu stae where there are no differences between Hindu and Buddhists.
But NGOs and INGOs were attempting to sow such discord between the followers of the two religious to no avail.
Friday is Kojagarath Purnima or thelast day of Dasain when Mahalaxmi, the Goddess of wealth, in worshipped.
The Tihar mood as set in after the end of Dasain.
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PLANS OF NOC TO HIKE PRICES OF LPG CYLINDERS AND DIESEL STAYED

Kathmandu, 22 Oct.: Board of Nepal Oil Corporation stayed plans of the oil monopoly to hike the price of LPG gas cylinders and diesel Friday.
A delegation of distributors Friday demanded VAT should be withdrawn on sale of cylinders.
Gas is cheaper in India than in Nepal.
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ARMY CHIEF HUDDLED IN DISCUSSIONS
Kathmandu, 22 Oct.: Army Chief Gen. Chatraman Singh Gurung Friday held discussions with colleagues of the Asia and Pacific region at the 13th Annual Asia-Pacific Chief of Defence conference in Seoul Friday, Nepal Army (NA) said..

Army chiefs are discussing security of Asia-Pacific region, security threat and future strategies for the region and the role of army..

Gurung held discussions with colleagues from India, Pakistan, Canada, South Korea, Bangladesh, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

The army chief returns home Saturday.
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AGNI SAPKOTA IN PRACHANDA’S TEAN VISITING CHINA

Kathmandu, 22 Oct.: Maoist politburo member Agni Sapkot, accused for human rights abuse during a 10-year people’s war, left for China with his Chairman Prachanda Friday on a four-day China visit.
A case for murder is registered against him at a court in Kavre.
Police haven’t executed an arrest warrant against him as he moves about freely.
USA last year first issued him a visa to visit New York to attend a UN conference but later withdrew the travel document on pressure, Maoists said.
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