KRISHNA PRASAD BHATTARAI CREMATED

KRISHNA PRASAD BHATTARAI CREMATED

Kathmandu, 6 March: Krishna Prasad BHattarai was cremated with full state hours at Pashupati Aryaghat Sunday afternoon
Nephew Pramod Bhattarai lit the funeral pyre at 4.50.
Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal draped the body with the national flag in the presence of members of the government at Pashupatinath temple.
NC President Sushil Koirala also draped Bhattarai;s body with the party flag.
The funeral procession reached Pashupatnath temple in two hours from the inner city.
There was no place to stand along the street on the funeral route and Pashupatinath.
Army and police personnel escorted the body to Aryaghat.
People showered flowers from houses along the street as volunteers distributed water to people on a sunny afternoon.
Youth and women lined the streets.
The body was first taken to the NC party office from his residence Sunday morning; party leaders draped the body with the party flag before it was taken to Dashrath Ranghashala.
Dr Bharat Rawat who was treating Kishunji for an extended period said 75 percent of the leaders wasn’t working for 12 years and normally people survive only five years with such condition.
“However, Kishunji lived for12 years despite old age, heart, lungs and kidney problems.
“Till the last minute of his life, he stayed cheerful. He would smile even in tough time.” The doctor revealed.
‘I want to live long as I have a lot to do for this beautiful and sacred country. He used to think about the country even through he was sick and unable to walk,” Dr Rawat quoted Bhattarai as saying when the former premier was admitted for the last time at Norvic Hospital 16 February.
Kishunji died Friday night at 11.26.
Parliament session was adjourned until Monday without conducting business as a mark of respect.
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U.S. EMBASSY CONDOLES KRISHNA PRASAD BHATTARAI’S DEATH

Kathmandu, 6 March: US embassy ‘on behalf of the American people’ not the government, Sunday condoled the death of pro-democracy leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in a statement.
“ On behalf of the American people, the United States Embassy in Nepal offers its condolences to the Nepali people and to the family of former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai.
“The passing of one of Nepal’s premier statesmen is a loss not only for the country he so faithfully served, but also for all democrats everywhere. His example serves as a reminder of what can be achieved when one puts country before self,” the statement said.
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TWO ARMED GROUP PERSONNEL KILLED

Kathmandu, 6 March: Two persons of an armed group in the terai were shot dead by police overnight at a village in Rautahat.
They were identified as Bhawani Singh and Surya Sukla.
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KATHMANDU: British Minister of State for International Development Alan Duncan is arriving Monday for a four-day visit for his second visit , Department of International Development (DFID) said.



He will launch DFID’s Operational Plan for Nepa during his second visit.

He’ll visit a village in Jumla and acquaint himself with the vulnerability of an earthquake in Kathmandu Valley.
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LEADERS CONDOLE BHATTARAI’S DEATH





Kathmandu, 6 March: President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav Saturday said that he was deeply saddened by the death of an ideal man in Nepali politics, former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai.
In a condolence message, Dr. Yadav stated that Bhattarai had an unflinching political life of seven decades when he never compromised with his principles and values.
"Bhattarai was an idol of non-violent thought and dedication," Dr. Yadav said of Bhattarai, who died at 87 Friday night.
He said that the simple lifestyle, clean image and patriotic acts of late Bhattarai would be worth emulation by the current and future generations.
"I offer heartfelt condolences to late statesman Bhattarai at this time of sorrow and pain on behalf of the people and myself," Dr. Yadav said. "I pray for eternal peace to his soul."
Similarly, CPN-UML issued a condolence message on the death of Bhattarai. The party noted that Bhattarai’s death was an irreparable loss to the country and democracy.
Various organisations expressed their deep condolence over the sad demise of ex-prime minister and a founder member of Nepali Congress Krishna Prasad Bhattarai.
UCPN-Maoist expressed the party’s deep condolence and sympathy on the demise of ex-prime minister and Nepali Congress founder member Bhattarai.
In a press statement issued by party spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma, the party said that late Bhattarai was profoundly famous for fighting against Panchayat

system and the 104-year Rana regime.
The party also said that history would evaluate Bhattarai’s contributions to the country and democracy.
Similarly, Nepal Sadhbhawana Party’s chairman Rajendra Mahato in a press statement issued today stated that the death of Bhattarai incurred an irreparable loss to the country and democracy. Mahato said that late Bhattarai was a true democrat and nationalist leader.
Likewise, Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal, has also expressed the party’s deep condolence over the demise of Bhattarai by issuing a press statement. The party has mentioned that with the demise of Bhattarai the country lost a leader who never compromised with the values of democracy.
Similarly, a meeting of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) today decided to shut down its central office for three days from Sunday and not to hold any formal function to mourn the sad demise of Bhattarai, the first president of the Association of Nepalese Journalists.
FNJ also decided to place a mourning book from Sunday until Bhattarai’s 13th day ritual concludes and hold a condolence meeting across the country on March 15.
Likewise, British Ambassador John Tucknott, issued a condolence message today.
"On behalf of the UK Government I would like to send my sincere condolences on the passing of Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. As an activist and as Prime Minister, Bhattarai long served the cause of democracy in Nepal," Tucknott said in a press statement.
Similarly, the Japanese Embassy in Nepal expressed sincere condolences on the demise of Bhattarai.
"Bhattarai made a historic contribution to the various democratic movements of Nepal and his demise was a great loss to Nepal," read a condolence message issued by Ambassador Tatsuo Mizuno and sent to the Nepali Congress Headquarters this morning.
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• MONEY BULGARIAN PARAGLIDER SAYS HE GOT NEW LEAST OF LIFE
ET CETERA
Kathmandu, 6 March: Bulgarian paraglider Kamen Kumanov, who went missing in Korchong area in Mt.Machhapuchhre range on Tuesday, was rescued on Saturday. He was airlifted to Pokhara by a Fishtail Air chopper, Shiba Sharma writes in The Kathmandu Post from Pokhara.

“This is my new life. I survived by drinking melted snow in the dense forest for five days,” said Kumanov after he landed in Pokhara Airport. The Bulgarian said he fell from above 4,000 metres after two cords of his glider broke.

“I crawled for about four hours from the incident site but could not find any human settlement there. I remained sans food for days and despaired of my rescue,” Kumanov shared his ordeal. He sustained minor injury in his face, neck and legs. The nearest settlement was Karuwa village, a five-hour walk from the incident site.

A 46-member team of Armed Police Force dispatched from Pokhara two days ago found him in an unconscious state in a forest between Rumlikhola and Sadukhola in Machhapuchhre area on Friday evening. Kumanov had flown for Korchong from Sarangkot on Tuesday.

“Kumanov was frozen. Anything could have happened had we been delayed in tracing him,” said APF Inspector Nabin Budhathoki. The rescue team set up a camp and fed him juice and food. “He revived after we warmed him by lighting a fire in the camp,” he said. Kumanov said he would return home after a month.
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PM SAYS DILITICS WOULD HAVE LDIFFEENCEL HAD HE WON 1990 ELECTIONS

Kathmandu, 6 March: Prime Minister Khanal, who has on his shoulders responsibility for taking the country forward from the transitional period and delivering the constitution, was minister for agriculture, forest and land reform in the cabinet led by Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in 1990. Bhattarai successfully transformed the country from an autocratic Panchayat to a democratic system and delivered a constitution.)

Nepali Congress (NC), the then CPN-ML and other left political parties jointly spearheaded the people´s movement in 1990. Institutionalizing the achievements of the movement was not possible without unifying them and properly managing their political differences. A personality who would stand for democratic values with unflinching determination and unify other political parties and progressive forces was the need of the time write in Republica.
In fact Kishunji aptly played that role. He didn´t compromise on the basic democratic principles and never forgot to accommodate all the others as well. The CPN (ML) also played a central role in accommodating others, Tirtha Bhusal and Tilak Pathak report in Republica.

He correctly understood that promulgating a new constitution and holding general elections was not possible without proper coordination and cooperation with our party, CPN (ML). Therefore, he always maintained a special and dynamic relationship with us-- be it within the cabinet or outside. That cordial relations between the two parties made it possible to deliver the constitution and holding the general election.

We had differences too. But his dynamic and flexible nature helped us find common ground and settle the differences.

Monarchy was one of the major forces at that time. It tried to create obstructions to transforming the country into a democratic society. We planned to form a commission to draft a new constitution. But the royal palace declared a commission in advance. We rejected that and declared a commission for the purpose from the cabinet. After that, the commission started the statute-drafting process. Again the royal palace prepared a draft and distributed it everywhere.

At a cabinet meeting, Kishunji brought that draft along. I took the draft from his hand and torn it into pieces right then and there. It created an awkward situation at the meeting. I told him that he should not have entertained such things, the prime minister shouldn´t bring such things to a cabinet meeting.

He presented himself in an angry mood there. But immediately after the meeting, he called me to his chamber. When we reached there, he thanked me. "I must thank you because you did exactly what I had expected. Such drafts will not find entry into a cabinet meeting in future," he said. He said that from now onward no one will dare to forward such drafts, thinking that Jhalanathji would tear them up. In fact, he had very strong ground to argue with the royalists because we were there [in the cabinet].

As Kishunji would feel pressure from the royalists, he would argue that it was not possible to pass their agenda because of the presence of the communists. Next day, I would get a call from the palace. I always stood firm in our stance. Such a situation continued for long and the constitution in 1990 was promulgated after a complicated struggle. Drafting a constitution became possible because of Kishunji´s skills and abilities in formal and informal ways.

It was two-way. He also shared the views of the king with us. We [communists] were outspoken against the monarchy. Kishunji persuaded the royalists, saying that striking a compromising deal was a must to accommodate the communists. We made compromises on many issues because we understood the complications before him.

We became ready to promulgate the constitution with reservations on 27 provisions. He welcomed our move saying that registering differing views was a healthy practice in democracy. He had told us that this would hold special significance in future. The statute was a document of compromise among the three major political forces-- royalists, the NC, and the left alliance including CPN-ML.

It was in 1990 that I met Kishunji for the first time at the residence of Yog Prasad Upadhyay. We met in connection with making preparations for a movement. We discussed about the main slogan of the movement. We finalized the slogan as per my proposal as Ganeshmanji seconded my idea.

He used to crack jokes even at the cabinet meetings. At one cabinet meeting, he said all of us ministers would get elected in the general election and he would be glad to welcome us again as ministers to his cabinet after the poll. "Whoever from among you want to become ministers in my next cabinet, let me know in advance," he had said.

But, when the election campaign was in the last stage, I heard that he was going to loose in Kathmandu constituency 1, where he was competing with our then general secretary Madan Bhandari. I felt strongly that a leader like Kishunji must be get elected and he should play a leading role in parliament. I called him from my home district Ilam and proposed an agreement with our party. But he was confident of his victory and suggested to me to make good preparations for my own election.

Later he was defeated. I still believe that had Kishunji won the election in 1990, the course of politics in our country would have taken a positive direction. Had he won, Nepali politics wouldn´t be in confusion over institutionalizing democratic values as per the objectives of the movement of 1990.

There is a mountain of challenges and historic opportunities before me as well. I have some advantages too. Since 1990, many leaders including Kishunji have played important roles on their part in connection with institutionalizing democracy in the country. The work done and roles played by them can be a guideline for me. I can learn from them.

There are similarities and differences between the transitional periods at present and in 1990. There are similarities because we are in transition, we are moving ahead in more democratic age and we have to empower the people with more rights and more prosperity.

There are drastic differences in the power structures then and now. We have witnessed a sea change and there is a huge prospect for opportunities as well at the present.

In view of the changed context, I will move ahead accommodating all the forces.
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