PRESSURE COOKER BOMB EXPLODES IN DHANGADI

PRESSURE COOKER BOMB EXPLODES AT DHANGADI
FURNITURE FACTORY IN DHANGADI

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: A pressure cooker bomb hidden under a
truck exploded at Siddhanath Kastha Udyog at Chatakpur in Dhangadi Wednesday.
There was no major damage at the furniture factory.
Another bomb was recovered nearby from a shop; the bomb was
defused by an army bomb disposal unit.
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HEALTH OF WIDOW OF SLAIN HINDU LEADER WORSENS

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: Health of Babita Debi, widow of slain founder of
Hindu Yuva Sangh Kashibath Tiwari, on a death fast in Birgunj since Monday deteriorated Wednesday..
She initiated the fast Monday.
Babita has been put on saline.
Maoist Land Reforms Minister Prabhu Sah has been implicated in the shooting of Tiwari last year in the town.
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GORAKHKALI RUBBER FACTORY STRIKE WITHDRAWN

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: A weeklong strike at Chinese-aided Gorakhkali Rubber Factory was withdrawn Wednesday as production resumed in Gorkha.
Workers called off the strike after management agreed to annul new appointments and give locals priority in recruitment.
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DEEPAK MAHARJAN CRACHES OUT OF BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP

Kathmandu, 29 Sept. Deepak Maharjan crashed out of the AIBA World Boxing Championship and 2-12 London Olympics Wednesday.
The only Nepali medalist of the 10th Asian Games lost to India’s Dinesh Kumar 20-8 in the 81kg weight category at Baku in Ajarbaijan.
Maharjan’s hopes of qualifying for the Olympics are still alive.
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Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai said on Wednesday that the first draft of the new constitution would be prepared by November 30 and so would the categorization of ex-Maoist
Combatants, Republica reports.

In an interview to BBC Nepali Service on Wednesday, the prime minister said, “It will not be possible to prepare the complete draft of the constitution in the next two months]. So the first draft of the constitution will be readied by then.”

Stating that the Constituent Assembly term can be extended until the constitution is promulgated, the prime minister said the CA would require an extension of six additional months for the drafting of a complete statute.

When asked about the Supreme Court verdict that allows for CA term extension by only six months, the prime minister said, “Even the Supreme Court has accepted the principle of necessity and the Constituent Assembly can extend its term as per the principle.”

The prime minister said categorization of the ex-Maoist combatants would not begin until there is consensus among the parties but added that the categorization would be completed by November 30 when the extended term of the CA expires.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the UCPN (M) and Nepali Congress leaders on Wednesday reached an understanding to resolve the outstanding issues of the peace process within three/four days.

“We agreed to hold talks to produce results within the next three to four days,” NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel, who attended the meeting, told Republica.

Emerging from the meeting, NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula told media persons that the meeting was fruitful.

At the meeting, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had assured the NC leaders that the internal conflict in the party would not affect the peace process, according to Paudel.
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MAOIST ESTABLISHMENT COWARDS CHARGES SECRETARY GENERAL RAM BAHADUR THAPA
Kathmandu, 29 Sept. Maoist General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa on Sunday accused the party establishment of being "conspirators and cowards" and of deviating from the ideals of revolution, reports Republica.

Thapa expressed this view while speaking at a cadre orientation program at Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, held by the party hardliners.

"The cowards do their things from hiding. They signed the four-point deal and handed over the container keys secretly. But we are not cowards. We have launched our struggle openly," a participant quoted Thapa as saying.

Thapa told the cadres that his faction would see how the party establishment presents itself in the forthcoming central committee meeting, and chart out a course accordingly.

"We will see how they present themselves. But we must if necessary give a push to break the current course," Thapa argued. He meant that if Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam continued along the current path, the party would clearly deviate from its revolutionary path, and the opposition faction must then take initiatives to save the party.

Thapa argued that the new struggle launched by the hardliners was not meant to split the party. "But when we set such a goal, there will be a separate government and separate army," a cadre quoted Thapa as saying.

According to the participants, Thapa stated that his faction had not yet broken relations with the party establishment and he would do his best for reconciliation.

Thapa argued that it is the party establishment -- not the hardliners --who are for splitting the party by flouting the party´s official decisions.

He stated that the party establishment, by returning seized property and handing over the container keys, made a great "capitalistic leap" - not any leap for communism.

Meanwhile, cadres from the party hardline faction marched from Jawalakhel to Santibatika protesting against the statement of Defense Minister Sarat Singh Bhandari that the 22 districts of the Tarai may announce a separate state. Maoist leader Tilak Pariyar addressed the gathering at Santibatika.

Meanwhile also, the Maoists have postponed a Central Committee meeting scheduled for Sept 30, citing the upcoming Hindu festival of Dashain.
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