MAOIST DEADLINE TO DECLARE ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH ENDS Kathmandu, 9 Aug.: A deadline to declare assets of Maoist leaders of all ranks, including Chairman Prachanda and Prime Minuster Baburam Bhattarai, to a three member internal commission headed by Amik Serchan ended Thursday with submissions stillpouring in, Sherchan said. The deadline to declare assets was extended twice. “Nobody will be spared. Complaints [of hidden assets of Maoist leaders] are still coming in and investigations continue,” Serchan said adding it will report to the party. The work of the completed tenure three-member commission will be decided by the party, he said. nnnn . BOMB RECOVERED FROM SIRAHA HOTEL Kathmandu, 9Aug. A concealed bomb was safely recovered Thursday from Khadka Hotel in Siraha, local officials The bomb hidden in a bag was recovered and will be defused Friday, the official added. nnnn PM PUTS CONDITION FOR RESIGNATION Kathmandu, 9 Aug.:: Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has said he would step down immediately after the constitution with federalism was ensured through the Constituent Assembly, RSS reports. At a programme organised by the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) on the occasion of the 18th International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples here on Thursday, Prime Minister Dr Bhattarai said the constitution should be promulgated through the CA by internalizing the historic people's movement, the Madhes movement and the aspirations of the indigenous people. "I've no intention to stick to power," he said, stressing the need to seek objective solution to the present crisis. Parroting of change in government has shadowed the national agenda of progressive state restructuring which would ensure the rights of the oppressed class, caste, region, gender and communities, he claimed PM Bhattarai further blamed that some parties which rejected identity-based federalism were behind the dissolution of the CA. On the occasion, Indra Bahadur Gurung of the Nepali Congress warned of revolt if all parties did not recognise the demands of the indigenous people. Similarly, Vice-Chairman of the CPN-UML, Ashok Rai, said there was a need to seek the alternative to major three parties. He added that a separate power for this was already formed. Leader Rai complained that the UML did not heed the demand to restore the CA. UCPN-Maoist leader Sashi KC said her party won't abandon the agenda of identity-based federalism. Similarly, Rizwan Ansari of the CPN-UML said they were for the formation of new party as the big parties failed to address their demands. NEFIN Chairman Raj Kumar Lekhi and former Chairman Pasang Sherpa said the country was facing crisis because of the obstinacy of the leaders of the big three parties. A message given by the President on the occasion was read out at the programme. Dances and songs of different ethnic communities were performed on the occasion. Nnnn OPPOSITION YOUTH AGREE TO INTENSIFY ANTI-GOVT. PROTEST Kathmandu, 9 Aug.: The joint meeting of the Movement Mobilization Committee of the Youth-Students Organisations has urged the political parties to take an effective move to settle the current political and constitutional crisis in the country, RSS reports.. The meeting held at the Central Office of Nepal Tarun Dal here on Thursday stressed the need of taking initiative to form national consensus government as soon as possible as the nationalism was in crisis. Nationalism has become weaker now and the incumbent government has been the 'weakest' government of all time in the country's history in terms of protecting nationalism; therefore, the current government must go to save the country from the transition and clear the way for national consensus government, the meeting concluded. The meeting also decided to strengthen the protest movement of the youth-student organisations. Chairman of the Youth Association of Nepal, Mahesh Basnet, Coordinator of the All Nepal National Independent Students Union-Revolutionary, Sharad Rasaili, among other leaders of the youth and student organisations attended the meeting. The meeting also decided to declare more protest programmes on Friday once picketing Singha Durbar at 9:00 am to 11:00 am on Friday was concluded. Nnnn YOGA GURU RAMDEV BEGINS FAST AGAINST GOVT.CORRUPTION Kathmandu, 9 Aug: Indians shouted patriotic slogans and listened to a rousing speech from a charismatic yoga guru who began fasting Thursday to pressure the government to bring back billions of ill-gotten gains — so-called black money — citizens have stashed in foreign banks, AP reports from New Delhi.. Supporters of Baba Ramdev jammed traffic across New Delhi as they walked to the sprawling Ramlila fairgrounds and buses from nearby states converged on the capital. About 20,000 people pledged their support for Ramdev´s campaign to wipe out tax evasion and endemic corruption in India. Squatting on the ground and fanning themselves with bits of cardboard in the sweltering monsoon heat, supporters cheered as Ramdev spoke. "I am not against any political party. My protest is only to end black money and to bring back to this country what rightfully belongs to the people of India," he announced from a 20-foot high platform constructed at the end of a vast tent. Though poor acoustics made it difficult to hear Ramdev, his supporters were unfazed, saying they already knew what he stood for. "He is our hope for the future. He will save this country from the politicians," said Amulya Kumar, a farm laborer from Bihar, who was holding a small bundle of clothes and food. Along with his teenage nephew, Kumar had traveled two days by train from Bihar´s poverty-stricken Munger district for the rally. Millions of Indians tune in every day to watch Ramdev perform yoga exercises on his popular TV show. In the past few years he has transformed his popularity as a yoga guru to highlight his campaign against corruption. Ramdev said he would not eat for three days and outlined his demands: a robust ombudsman law to keep checks on government, a strong and independent Central Bureau of Investigation and efforts to act against tax evasion and illegal money sent to banks abroad. The government said Thursday said a committee was working on a draft of the ombudsman bill, which would be placed before Parliament next month. India´s finance ministry is in the process of tightening laws to curb the generation of black money and its illegal transfer abroad. The protest comes less than a week after the latest hunger strike by anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare failed to attract the huge crowds that had turned out for his past protests. Hazare and his supporters said they would give up agitating and join politics instead. Middle-class Indians fed up with corruption had flocked to Hazare´s initial protests last year, which Ramdev also supported. But the government dragged its feet on his demand for an ombudsman, and apathy among wealthier Indians sapped the cause. Ramdev´s support, however, comes from the far more politically active rural poor, angry that they have not benefited as promised from the country´s economic rise. However, Ramdev, whose real name is Ramkishan Yadav, has himself come under cloud after amassing a fortune in donations that run into millions of dollars. He has not explained the sources of his wealth or disclosed whether he pays taxes. Last month, Ramdev´s assistant was arrested on charges of cheating and forgery to obtain a passport. Ramdev denies all allegations of financial wrongdoing. Security was tight at the protest. Police squads patrolled the periphery of the grounds and paramilitary soldiers scrutinized visitors as they were scanned by metal detectors to enter the grounds. Thousands of young volunteers in white T-shirts with Ramdev´s image printed on it helped manage the swelling crowds, shepherding people into roped enclosures erected to prevent stampedes. They distributed bottles of water to the thousands of elderly supporters, while ambulances and firefighters kept watch. An army of volunteers prepared vats of spicy potato curry and deep-fried bread in a vast makeshift kitchen set up to provide free lunch to the protesters. nnnn ________________________________________