UML STANDING COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS PARTY UNITY

UML STANDNG COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS PARTY UNITY
Kathmandu, 23 Dec.: UML standing committee meets lFridayto study umnityin thearty.
Chairman Jhalanath Khanal is expected to present a proposal at
the opposition party standing committee meet
Khanal has proposed inducting unelected lawmakers in the legislature to push and promote unity.
The party is divided into camps loyal to Khanal and former
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
The party is also divided on its approach to Maoists—the largest commnist party in Nepal.
UML is also communist but charges UCPN (Maoist) of extremisms.
nnnn

COLD CLAIMS TWO MORE LIVES
Kathmandu, 23 Dec.: Two more people have died in Rautahat district from increasing cold wave, RSS reports from Gaur.

Sakali Devi Thakur, 65, of Bariyarpur -1 died from cold, said a local Ashok Yadav, and Shekh Tahid Ansari, 65, of Kanakpur-6 had also died.
nnnn



RECRUITING MADESHI YOTH INTO NA TRIGGERS DEBATE
Kathmandu, 23 Dec : The decision of recruiting Madhesi youths into Nepali Army (NA) has raised problems as the government would need to fulfill the vacant posts of NA through applications from all regions, The Rising Nepal reports.
Speaking at an interaction programme organized by the Reporter’s Club, Minister for Irrigation Mahendra Yadav said that the cabinet decision of allowing recruitment of Madhesi youths in NA was at odds with the practice of recruiting youths representing hilly, mountainous and Terai regions.
According to him, the decision would have to seek applications in the ratio of 5, 3 and 8 places respectively from hilly, mountainous and Terai regions.
Minister Yadav’s remarks came at a time when major ruling political parties and opposition parties were giving a mixed reaction over the government’s decision of allowing recruitment of Madhesi youths in NA.
He made it clear that the proposed recruitment in NA would include hilly, indigenous, Janajati and dalit representatives.
The name of NA barrack to announce the applications for Madhesi youths would be based on the identity of Madhes, he said.
However, he claimed that the decision of allowing recruitment would not be withdrawn at any cost as the government had made it in accordance to the earlier agreements.
At the function, UCPN-Maoist leader Haribol Gajurel reiterated that all processes would be hindered if the next national government was not formed under the leadership of the Maoist party.
The current government accelerated the pace of the peace-process, so the next national government should also be formed under the premiership of Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, said leader Gajurel, who is also a politburo member of the Maoist party.
"As Maoist party is already flexible in the peace process, the hindrances posed by other parties may lead the nation into confusion," he said.
Referring to the cabinet decision of allowing recruitment of Madhesi youths, he said that no one could benefit by objecting to the decision.
"The procedure of the admission in NA should be finalized by consulting with the political parties," Gajurel said.
CPN-UML leader Bhim Prasad Rawal, however, opposed the government decision as it was made to stabilise the current government ignoring the prospects of undermining nationality and national security.
Claiming that the allowing recruitment of Madhesi youths was introduced in line with the thinking of splitting 22 districts of the Terai belt, he added that conspiracy to weaken NA was being hatched in the name of making NA inclusive.
Nepali Congress leader Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat said that the current government should not be stabilised with corruption and bad governance if it could not accelerate the pace of the ongoing peace process.
"The progress in the peace process is again stalled as three meetings of the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC) have been postponed," said leader Mahat, who is also a member of the AISC.
Blaming that the government had not directed NA to prepare the draft of the army integration yet, he said that no one was against the government’s decision of allowing Madhesi youths in NA but a battalion for the same group of youths was not acceptable at any cost.
nnnn
PRIVATE SECTOR URGED BY PM TO HELP CURB TAX ANOMOLIES
Kathmandu, 23 Dec.:22, Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai Thursday stressed that the government was giving equal priority to peace, constitution and economic development, The Rising Nepal reports.
He said that the peace process, constitution drafting and economic development were interlinked and urged private sectors to support the government in its endeavour to achieve the goals.
He said that foreign investment was necessary to improve the national economy.
Inaugurating the 12th National Industrial, Agricultural and Tourism Festival at Butwal, Prime Minister Bhattarai said that the increase in foreign investment would help promote the Nepalese economy.
He added that the private sector should increase investment in areas with competitive advantages and boost the economy.
He said that the private sector should increase investment for export of goods.
He urged the private sector for help to control the tax irregularities and maintain a harmonious labor-owner relationship.
He further said that the government would give priority to develop the birthplace of Gautam Buddha for tourism development.
In another context, he said that the national tasks of peace and constitution writing were moving ahead positively and the government was also trying to push forward the economic development process.
"If we succeed to double foreign investment, economic growth will be possible as desired. The Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement between Nepal and India will help to promote the national economy of Nepal and kick off an economic movement," he said.
Dr. Bhattarai said that the government was preparing to organize Investment Year between 2012 and 2013 and added that it was preparing to enter a BIPPA with China.
"Nepal should intensify its economic growth to follow the footsteps of two neighbouring countries, Indian and China," he said.
On the occasion, Former Minister and CPN-UML leader Bishnu Poudel demanded that the government should increase the budget to develop the region of Lord Buddha.
Lawmaker Binod Chaudhari said that without resolving the economic issues, the political issues would not be resolved.
Coordinator of the festival Tej Kumar Pathak said that the existing environment was not positive for industrialization and added that the government should bring rehabilitation programs for industrial development.
Nepali Congress leader Surya Prasad Pradhan said that the government should bring a
new policy to secure the private sector investment.
nnnn

GOVT. PLANS TO RESCUE HOUSING SECTOR
Kathmandu, 23 Dec.: Finance Ministry has planned to rescue housing sector, if it adjusts price, The Himalayan Times reports.

Talking to media today, finance minister Barsha Man Pun said that government is planning to bring a rescue package to housing sector.

“But the price should come down and the ministry could suggest the residential builders to transform the apartments to apartment hotels as tourist arrivals have seen an encouraging growth and the hotels have been unable to accommodate them,” Pun said, assuring that the government can buy some of the apartments, if the need arises and use it.

A study conducted by Nepal Rastra Bank has revealed that the real estate is over priced by 30 per cent since last three years.

Despite the cool down from last one year, its price has not seen any adjustment. The central bank has also forwarded price revision as the solution for the relators to stimulate the market. But they have been pressurising the government and central bank to to refinance and restructure their loans.

The sales of the housing and land units have gone down in recent times as the speculators have realised the asset price will not increase any time soon. The contraction in demand has made the loan repayment for the development a difficult affair.

Central bank governor Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada has also cautioned that with the burst of real estate bubble, the amount of NPA of financial institutions will be going up in the near future.
nnnn

NO PROPER RECORDS AT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Kathmandu, 23 Dec.: The cases of fake collaterals, insufficient documentation and absconding defaulters made debt recovery a difficult task for Debt Recovery Tribunal, The Himalayan Times reports.

“The banks and financial institutions have lent without proper records of the borrowers and guarantors,” said chairman of the tribunal Gokul Prasad Burlakoti, during the release of its annual report for the fiscal year 2010-11.

“Majority of the cases that reach us also lacks proper documentation,” he said, adding that the loans have also been floated with overvaluation of the collaterals making it auction and recover credits difficult.

He also highlighted involvement of the financial institutions’ promoters, directors and officials in lending to their relatives that has created problems in recovery due to undervaluation and in few cases with fake collaterals.

The tribunal has, so far, delivered verdict in 2,214 cases among 2,597 cases filed in the tribunal against the defaulters. It has recovered claims worth Rs 30.3 billion since its inception eight years ago. In the fiscal year 2010-11, the tribunal saw only 58 cases being filed against the defaulters and delivered verdict on 263 cases.

The financial institutions are apprehensive about approaching the tribunal to recover bad loans due to fear of exposure of their knowing involvement in lending to fake projects, lamented Burlakoti.

“The borrowers should know that pledging fake collaterals and providing fake details to obtain loan is a financial crime and will be punished severely,” governor of the central bank Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada pointed out.

He assured that central bank will direct the financial institutions to approach tribunal to recover bad loans if the need arises.

“However, in some cases to obtain handsome collaterals even financial institutions act as village money lenders delaying the recovery and auction,” Khatiwada added.

“Furnishing fake details and collaterals to obtain loans and later running away from payback is just another instance of growing impunity and lawlessness in the society,” said finance secratary Krishna Hari Baskota.

He assured that the authorities are strong enough to penalise citing the example of actions taken and to be taken against those involved in the fake VAT bill and IC misappropriation.
nnnn

NO RHINO POACHED IN ONE YEAR

Kathmandu, 23 Dec.:: There was a time when poachers would kill one-horned rhino in Chitwan National Park (CNP) every week but in the past one year not a single rhino has been killed in the whole country, Ramesh Kumar
Paudel reports in Republica from Chitwan..

The last time poachers had killed a male rhino was on January 3 in the Dhoba Post area of CNP. "We have decided to celebrate Zero Poaching Year on Januray 3, 2012," said Chief Conservation Officer at CNP Jhamak Bahadur Karki.

Altogether 37 rhinos were killed at CNP in the fiscal year 2058/59 when the government declared emergency at the peak of the Maoist insurgency and 34 army posts at the park were reduced to seven. Just five were killed in 2057/58 and conservationists believe the rise in poaching was solely due to poor presence of security personnel.

Thirty-two were killed in 2059/60 and poaching has gone done gradually with the total never crossing 15. Just two rhinos were poached last year.

Chitwan is the main habitat of one-horned rhino in Nepal with 503 of the country´s total of 534 living at CNP. There are 24 in Bardiya and seven at Shukla Phanta. Karki claimed rhino has not been poached outside Chitwan in the past two and a half years.

He attributed the decline to the increase in number of security posts, which now stands at 51, and rise in public awareness.

Assistant Chief Conservation Officer Jagannath Singh however said CNP still lacks equipment and vehicles for effective control of poaching.
nnnn



________________________________________



MAOIST CHIEF UNDER PPRSSURE, PRESENTED WITH 10 DEMANDS

Kathmandu, 23 Dec : Accusing senior colleagues of financial embezzlement in the cantonments, Baidya faction commanders on Thursday submitted a 10-point demand to Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, seeking strong disciplinary action against the guilty, Kiran Pun reports in Republica.
Eighteen commanders led by division vice-commanders from all PLA divisions came to Kathmandu and submitted their demands to Dahal at Naya Bazaar.

“The party chairman talked to us positively and assured us of addressing the demands,” said Ram Lal Rokka Magar, Vice-commander of the Fifth Division, who was present during the meeting.

The commanders had sought the ration money for PLA security guards, and the Rs 1,000 they submitted to division commanders on a monthly basis as “deposit money”, among other things.

The commanders are scheduled to meet Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa on Friday.
Commanders said Dahal parried allegations of financial irregularities, but said that the demands would be addressed.

However, party Military Bureau Chief Barshaman Pun, who was also present, refuted the charge of financial irregularities.

“The money collected from you is there in your divisions. We can show you the accounts....The chairman has to take care of the whole party organization, not just you people,” a commander quoted Pun as saying.

During the meeting, Dahal also refuted having issued any circular to retain 50 percent of the money of those absent from the cantonments but were called back for voluntary retirement during the categorization process.

It may be recalled that the third point of the circular issued after a general staff meeting participated by Dahal asks commanders to call the absent combatants back to the cantonments and give them 50 percent of the total amount they are supposed to get for voluntary retirement.

The commanders also demanded that those opting for voluntary retirement be immediately sent home with the promised money. The division commanders, all of whom are from the party establishment, are against immediately sending home those opting for voluntary retirement, arguing that a “piecemeal approach” to integration will seriously weaken the party’s bargaining position.

Most commanders and personnel from the Baidya faction have chosen voluntary retirement, opposing the whole spirit of the integration carried out “in a humiliating manner”.

The commanders have demanded that those who defected from the Nepal Army (NA) get a chance to rejoin the NA, and the current education level be counted during for integration purposes.

Are there any journalists outside?

The first question Dahal asked the commanders was: “Is it you who invited the media here?”

Commanders said Dahal was a bit nervous as reporters and cameras waited outside his residence.

Dahal’s son Prakash was, however, a bit rude toward the commanders. “Why have you come here instead of meeting General Secretary Thapa?” a commander
quoted him as telling them.
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UML STANDNG COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS PARTY UNITY
Kathmandu, 23 Dec.: UML standing committee meets lFridayto study umnityin thearty.
Chairman Jhalanath Khanal is expected to present a proposal at
the opposition party standing committee meet
Khanal has proposed inducting unelected lawmakers in the legislature to push and promote unity.
The party is divided into camps loyal to Khanal and former
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
The party is also divided on its approach to Maoists—the largest commnist party in Nepal.
UML is also communist but charges UCPN (Maoist) of extremisms.
nnnn

COLD CLAIMS TWO MORE LIVES
Kathmandu, 23 Dec.: Two more people have died in Rautahat district from increasing cold wave, RSS reports from Gaur.

Sakali Devi Thakur, 65, of Bariyarpur -1 died from cold, said a local Ashok Yadav, and Shekh Tahid Ansari, 65, of Kanakpur-6 had also died.
nnnn



RECRUITING MADESHI YOTH INTO NA TRIGGERS DEBATE
Kathmandu, 23 Dec : The decision of recruiting Madhesi youths into Nepali Army (NA) has raised problems as the government would need to fulfill the vacant posts of NA through applications from all regions, The Rising Nepal reports.
Speaking at an interaction programme organized by the Reporter’s Club, Minister for Irrigation Mahendra Yadav said that the cabinet decision of allowing recruitment of Madhesi youths in NA was at odds with the practice of recruiting youths representing hilly, mountainous and Terai regions.
According to him, the decision would have to seek applications in the ratio of 5, 3 and 8 places respectively from hilly, mountainous and Terai regions.
Minister Yadav’s remarks came at a time when major ruling political parties and opposition parties were giving a mixed reaction over the government’s decision of allowing recruitment of Madhesi youths in NA.
He made it clear that the proposed recruitment in NA would include hilly, indigenous, Janajati and dalit representatives.
The name of NA barrack to announce the applications for Madhesi youths would be based on the identity of Madhes, he said.
However, he claimed that the decision of allowing recruitment would not be withdrawn at any cost as the government had made it in accordance to the earlier agreements.
At the function, UCPN-Maoist leader Haribol Gajurel reiterated that all processes would be hindered if the next national government was not formed under the leadership of the Maoist party.
The current government accelerated the pace of the peace-process, so the next national government should also be formed under the premiership of Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, said leader Gajurel, who is also a politburo member of the Maoist party.
"As Maoist party is already flexible in the peace process, the hindrances posed by other parties may lead the nation into confusion," he said.
Referring to the cabinet decision of allowing recruitment of Madhesi youths, he said that no one could benefit by objecting to the decision.
"The procedure of the admission in NA should be finalized by consulting with the political parties," Gajurel said.
CPN-UML leader Bhim Prasad Rawal, however, opposed the government decision as it was made to stabilise the current government ignoring the prospects of undermining nationality and national security.
Claiming that the allowing recruitment of Madhesi youths was introduced in line with the thinking of splitting 22 districts of the Terai belt, he added that conspiracy to weaken NA was being hatched in the name of making NA inclusive.
Nepali Congress leader Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat said that the current government should not be stabilised with corruption and bad governance if it could not accelerate the pace of the ongoing peace process.
"The progress in the peace process is again stalled as three meetings of the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC) have been postponed," said leader Mahat, who is also a member of the AISC.
Blaming that the government had not directed NA to prepare the draft of the army integration yet, he said that no one was against the government’s decision of allowing Madhesi youths in NA but a battalion for the same group of youths was not acceptable at any cost.
nnnn
PRIVATE SECTOR URGED BY PM TO HELP CURB TAX ANOMOLIES
Kathmandu, 23 Dec.:22, Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai Thursday stressed that the government was giving equal priority to peace, constitution and economic development, The Rising Nepal reports.
He said that the peace process, constitution drafting and economic development were interlinked and urged private sectors to support the government in its endeavour to achieve the goals.
He said that foreign investment was necessary to improve the national economy.
Inaugurating the 12th National Industrial, Agricultural and Tourism Festival at Butwal, Prime Minister Bhattarai said that the increase in foreign investment would help promote the Nepalese economy.
He added that the private sector should increase investment in areas with competitive advantages and boost the economy.
He said that the private sector should increase investment for export of goods.
He urged the private sector for help to control the tax irregularities and maintain a harmonious labor-owner relationship.
He further said that the government would give priority to develop the birthplace of Gautam Buddha for tourism development.
In another context, he said that the national tasks of peace and constitution writing were moving ahead positively and the government was also trying to push forward the economic development process.
"If we succeed to double foreign investment, economic growth will be possible as desired. The Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement between Nepal and India will help to promote the national economy of Nepal and kick off an economic movement," he said.
Dr. Bhattarai said that the government was preparing to organize Investment Year between 2012 and 2013 and added that it was preparing to enter a BIPPA with China.
"Nepal should intensify its economic growth to follow the footsteps of two neighbouring countries, Indian and China," he said.
On the occasion, Former Minister and CPN-UML leader Bishnu Poudel demanded that the government should increase the budget to develop the region of Lord Buddha.
Lawmaker Binod Chaudhari said that without resolving the economic issues, the political issues would not be resolved.
Coordinator of the festival Tej Kumar Pathak said that the existing environment was not positive for industrialization and added that the government should bring rehabilitation programs for industrial development.
Nepali Congress leader Surya Prasad Pradhan said that the government should bring a
new policy to secure the private sector investment.
nnnn

GOVT. PLANS TO RESCUE HOUSING SECTOR
Kathmandu, 23 Dec.: Finance Ministry has planned to rescue housing sector, if it adjusts price, The Himalayan Times reports.

Talking to media today, finance minister Barsha Man Pun said that government is planning to bring a rescue package to housing sector.

“But the price should come down and the ministry could suggest the residential builders to transform the apartments to apartment hotels as tourist arrivals have seen an encouraging growth and the hotels have been unable to accommodate them,” Pun said, assuring that the government can buy some of the apartments, if the need arises and use it.

A study conducted by Nepal Rastra Bank has revealed that the real estate is over priced by 30 per cent since last three years.

Despite the cool down from last one year, its price has not seen any adjustment. The central bank has also forwarded price revision as the solution for the relators to stimulate the market. But they have been pressurising the government and central bank to to refinance and restructure their loans.

The sales of the housing and land units have gone down in recent times as the speculators have realised the asset price will not increase any time soon. The contraction in demand has made the loan repayment for the development a difficult affair.

Central bank governor Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada has also cautioned that with the burst of real estate bubble, the amount of NPA of financial institutions will be going up in the near future.
nnnn

NO PROPER RECORDS AT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Kathmandu, 23 Dec.: The cases of fake collaterals, insufficient documentation and absconding defaulters made debt recovery a difficult task for Debt Recovery Tribunal, The Himalayan Times reports.

“The banks and financial institutions have lent without proper records of the borrowers and guarantors,” said chairman of the tribunal Gokul Prasad Burlakoti, during the release of its annual report for the fiscal year 2010-11.

“Majority of the cases that reach us also lacks proper documentation,” he said, adding that the loans have also been floated with overvaluation of the collaterals making it auction and recover credits difficult.

He also highlighted involvement of the financial institutions’ promoters, directors and officials in lending to their relatives that has created problems in recovery due to undervaluation and in few cases with fake collaterals.

The tribunal has, so far, delivered verdict in 2,214 cases among 2,597 cases filed in the tribunal against the defaulters. It has recovered claims worth Rs 30.3 billion since its inception eight years ago. In the fiscal year 2010-11, the tribunal saw only 58 cases being filed against the defaulters and delivered verdict on 263 cases.

The financial institutions are apprehensive about approaching the tribunal to recover bad loans due to fear of exposure of their knowing involvement in lending to fake projects, lamented Burlakoti.

“The borrowers should know that pledging fake collaterals and providing fake details to obtain loan is a financial crime and will be punished severely,” governor of the central bank Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada pointed out.

He assured that central bank will direct the financial institutions to approach tribunal to recover bad loans if the need arises.

“However, in some cases to obtain handsome collaterals even financial institutions act as village money lenders delaying the recovery and auction,” Khatiwada added.

“Furnishing fake details and collaterals to obtain loans and later running away from payback is just another instance of growing impunity and lawlessness in the society,” said finance secratary Krishna Hari Baskota.

He assured that the authorities are strong enough to penalise citing the example of actions taken and to be taken against those involved in the fake VAT bill and IC misappropriation.
nnnn

NO RHINO POACHED IN ONE YEAR

Kathmandu, 23 Dec.:: There was a time when poachers would kill one-horned rhino in Chitwan National Park (CNP) every week but in the past one year not a single rhino has been killed in the whole country, Ramesh Kumar
Paudel reports in Republica from Chitwan..

The last time poachers had killed a male rhino was on January 3 in the Dhoba Post area of CNP. "We have decided to celebrate Zero Poaching Year on Januray 3, 2012," said Chief Conservation Officer at CNP Jhamak Bahadur Karki.

Altogether 37 rhinos were killed at CNP in the fiscal year 2058/59 when the government declared emergency at the peak of the Maoist insurgency and 34 army posts at the park were reduced to seven. Just five were killed in 2057/58 and conservationists believe the rise in poaching was solely due to poor presence of security personnel.

Thirty-two were killed in 2059/60 and poaching has gone done gradually with the total never crossing 15. Just two rhinos were poached last year.

Chitwan is the main habitat of one-horned rhino in Nepal with 503 of the country´s total of 534 living at CNP. There are 24 in Bardiya and seven at Shukla Phanta. Karki claimed rhino has not been poached outside Chitwan in the past two and a half years.

He attributed the decline to the increase in number of security posts, which now stands at 51, and rise in public awareness.

Assistant Chief Conservation Officer Jagannath Singh however said CNP still lacks equipment and vehicles for effective control of poaching.
nnnn



________________________________________



MAOIST CHIEF UNDER PPRSSURE, PRESENTED WITH 10 DEMANDS

Kathmandu, 23 Dec : Accusing senior colleagues of financial embezzlement in the cantonments, Baidya faction commanders on Thursday submitted a 10-point demand to Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, seeking strong disciplinary action against the guilty, Kiran Pun reports in Republica.
Eighteen commanders led by division vice-commanders from all PLA divisions came to Kathmandu and submitted their demands to Dahal at Naya Bazaar.

“The party chairman talked to us positively and assured us of addressing the demands,” said Ram Lal Rokka Magar, Vice-commander of the Fifth Division, who was present during the meeting.

The commanders had sought the ration money for PLA security guards, and the Rs 1,000 they submitted to division commanders on a monthly basis as “deposit money”, among other things.

The commanders are scheduled to meet Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa on Friday.
Commanders said Dahal parried allegations of financial irregularities, but said that the demands would be addressed.

However, party Military Bureau Chief Barshaman Pun, who was also present, refuted the charge of financial irregularities.

“The money collected from you is there in your divisions. We can show you the accounts....The chairman has to take care of the whole party organization, not just you people,” a commander quoted Pun as saying.

During the meeting, Dahal also refuted having issued any circular to retain 50 percent of the money of those absent from the cantonments but were called back for voluntary retirement during the categorization process.

It may be recalled that the third point of the circular issued after a general staff meeting participated by Dahal asks commanders to call the absent combatants back to the cantonments and give them 50 percent of the total amount they are supposed to get for voluntary retirement.

The commanders also demanded that those opting for voluntary retirement be immediately sent home with the promised money. The division commanders, all of whom are from the party establishment, are against immediately sending home those opting for voluntary retirement, arguing that a “piecemeal approach” to integration will seriously weaken the party’s bargaining position.

Most commanders and personnel from the Baidya faction have chosen voluntary retirement, opposing the whole spirit of the integration carried out “in a humiliating manner”.

The commanders have demanded that those who defected from the Nepal Army (NA) get a chance to rejoin the NA, and the current education level be counted during for integration purposes.

Are there any journalists outside?

The first question Dahal asked the commanders was: “Is it you who invited the media here?”

Commanders said Dahal was a bit nervous as reporters and cameras waited outside his residence.

Dahal’s son Prakash was, however, a bit rude toward the commanders. “Why have you come here instead of meeting General Secretary Thapa?” a commander
quoted him as telling them.
nnnn



________________________________________





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