NO FERTILIZER PRICE INCREASE

NO FERTILIZER PRICE INCREASE

Kathmandu, 15 Nov.: Fertilizer price won’t be increased by the agriculture and cooperatives ministry, concerned Minister Nandan Kumar Dutta said Monday.
The government had stopped selling subsidized fertilizers amid protests of farmers ahead of a proposed price increase four days ago.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Though the size of the cabinet has become a public concern, it is my sacrifice for concluding peace process and writing the new constitution on time.”

(PM Bhattarai, Republica, 15 Nov.)
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BIG THREE WANT SPEEDY IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE DEADL

Kathmandu, 15 Nov.: The major three political parties -- UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML -- have agreed to sort out the exisiting differences on the seven-point peace deal immediately and expedite its implementation, Republica reports.

Acknowledging the delay in the implementation of the deal, the parties reached an understanding to this effect during a meeting at the Prime Minister Office at Singha Durbar on Monday.
“We agreed to set a timetable to effectively implement the seven-point agreement,” said Nepali Congress (NC) Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel after the meeting.

The parties also agreed to send surveyors to the PLA cantonments by Wednesday to begin the task of categorization of the combatants into three groups -- those opting for integration, those opting for rehabilitation and those choosing voluntary retirement -- and complete the task by November 23.

During the meeting, the leaders also agreed to hold a meeting on Wednesday to settle the differences on the bills related to truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) and insurgency-era disappearances.

The parties agreed to take up the TRC bill at a time when the crimes committed during the insurgency have come to light, especially after the cabinet recommended to the president to pardon convicted murderer and lawmaker Balkrishna Dhungel.

According to leaders, the NC and UML leaders had objected to the appointment of ambassadors to China and India, and formation of Nepal´s largest-ever cabinet, and the cabinet´s recommendation to the president to pardon Dhungel. “What has happened to the government´s promised austerities?” a participant quoted NC leaders as saying at the meeting. Similarly, the leaders expressed displeasure at the failure of the Maoist party to implement the seven-point deal, including the failure to return the seized properties. They stated that the Maoists should no longer blame their own party´s hard-line faction for non-implementation of the deal.

Coming out of the meeting, Maoist Vice-chairman and Foreign Minister Narayankaji Shrestha said the parties would press ahead with the issue of forming a national consensus government along with the peace process and constitution.

“There was a great enthusiasm regarding the peace process and constitution-drafting after the signing of the seven-point agreement but the enthusiasm seems to be dying now, so we decided to bridge the gap among the parties,” added Shrestha.

Maoist General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa, who represents the radical faction of the party, said his faction reiterated their disagreement regarding the seven-point agreement at the meeting.

Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Vice-chairman and Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, NC President Sushil Koirala and Vice-president Paudel, CPN-UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal among other top leaders were present at the meeting.
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MAOIST CHAIRMAN CAN STILL CORRECT HIMSELF SAYS BAIDYA

Kathmandu, 15 Nov.: Maoist Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya said on Monday that there is still a chance for party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to correct himself by rectifying the current ´ideological deviations´, and lead the party unitedly to realize the ideals of revolution, Republica reports. .

Baidya, who leads the party´s hardline camp, expressed this view while speaking at the party Central Committee (CC) meeting that resumed in Kathmandu on Monday.
“The party is, no doubt, moving toward capitulation (to the regressive forces). But we can still save it if we put in sincere efforts. The chairman can still be transformed (into a revolutionary leader),” a party CC member quoted Baidya as saying.

At the meeting, the radical leader read out a 12-point paper explaining why the party is precipitating into a quagmire of ideological deviations. Baidya also accused Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai of acting arbitrarily, hoodwinking the party leaders.
“It is not us, but you leaders who are violating party decisions. But rumors are being spread that I am splitting the party,” a leader also quoted Baidya as saying.

The Maoist vice-chairman argued that the main problem lay with the party´ current tactical line, which was to complete the peace process and frame a constitution through compromise, and he pointed out the need to correct that line.

“Bhattarai is clear about his line. But the chairman should clarify why the party is moving on its current path. There should be assessment of the party´s tactical line,” Baidya was further quoted as saying.



The party hardline faction also came down heavily on Dahal for his ´secret meetings with the Indian intelligence wing, RAW´. “One hears that he is meeting with RAW agents, hoodwinking party colleagues. that is a violation of the party´s norms and values,” a CC member quoted Baidya as saying.

Taking strong exception to Dahal´s activism for developing Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, Baidya questioned his commitment to Marxism.

“He must clarify whether he is a leader of the proletariat or a Buddhist monk, to be disseminating information about Lumbini. Is that sound for a party that believes in materialism?” Baidya asked.

Baidya´s 10-point dissent

1. Four-pint deal signed with Madhes-based parties,
2. Handover of arms container keys to the Special Committee,
3. Return of properties seized by the Maoists,
4. Taking the integration process forward without consulting General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa, who is the in-charge of the military commission,
5. Agreement with other parties on the framing of a federal democratic republican constitution in contravention of the party decision,
6. Concerning the anti-national statement of former defence minister Sarat Singh Bhandari, and agreement with parties not to hold strikes in the industrial sector for four years,
7. Dahal´s secret meetings with Indian intelligence,
8. Signing of BIPPA with India,
9. Signing of the seven-point deal,
10. Failure to withdraw all court cases against party cadres and decision to form an expert panel for state-restructuring.
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