ARMY PLAYS MACHINDRA IN FOOTBALL LEAGUE Kathmandu, 13 Dec.: Saraswati plays Friends Club in the Martyrs Memorial A Division Football League Championship at Dashrath Rangashala Thursday. Machindra plays Tribhuvan Club of Nepal Army in another match. Nnnn CLAIM SAYS HASMI WAS BURNT BY FAMILY Kathmandu, 13 Dec : Contrary to the persistent claims by the police and the victim´s family, the locals of Gulariya municipality in Bardiya district have claimed that Siba Hasmi was burnt alive by her own family, Arjun Oli writes in Republic from Nepalgunj.. The day Hasmi, 16, breathed her last in Kathmandu, the locals - mostly representatives of various Muslim organizations and relatives of Babu Khan, who has been accused of setting fire to Hasmi, took to the streets, demanding that the victim´s family also be brought under the scanner. Some locals have even claimed that Hasmi had run out only after being set ablaze inside her house. They say that Khan, 21, who hails from India, has been made the scapegoat. Arif Ahmad Rai, one of the agitating locals, claimed that Hasmi was already engulfed in fire when she rushed out of her home. “I saw her running out of her home with flames all over body,” said Rai. “I do not think anybody else went inside to set her on fire.” He also claimed that Hasmi´s family wanted to keep her in the house instead of taking her to the hospital. • Lack of rapid response to blame for Hashimi´s death: Activists “As they did not want to take Hasmi to the hospital, I called the police and helped in taking her to the hospital,” said Rai, adding, “At that time, the accused was lying on his own bed.” However, the police maintain that they arrested Khan on the basis of Hasmi´s statement, who was still conscious till Friday afternoon. “Hasmi´s statement is safe with us,” said SP Ramkripal Shah, chief of District Police Office of Bardiya.” SP Shah says that Hasmi´s statement is the most important proof that shows Khan´s involvement. The victim´s family says that Khan´s relatives are just trying to save him. “What could be more important proof than my sister´s statement, which was recorded by the police themselves,” said Tanbir Ahmad, the victim´s older brother. Earlier, it was reported that Khan set Hasmi ablaze after she repeatedly turned down his marriage proposal. Nnnn DAHAL, BHATTARAI DIFFERENCES SURFACES AGAIN Kathmandu, 13 Dec Barely six months after the top UCPN (Maoist) leaders claimed that the factions within the party had been dissolved for good, rival factions of the Maoist trade union close to Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai clashed on Monday, Kiran Pun writes in Republica.. Bikram Rai, Maniram Thapa and Rajan Bista close to Bhattarai and Jhalak Shrestha close Dahal were injured in the incident. Following the incident, trade union leaders close to the Bhattarai faction have filed a case against Dahal faction union leaders. Hisila Yami, Devendra Paudel from the Bhattarai faction and Jhakku Subedi and Shalik Ram Jamkattel from the Dahal faction held talks on Wednesday but failed to iron out differences. The clash on Monday between the two factions is a telling reminder that rivalries between the two factions had been seething all along. Maoist Chairman Dahal and vice chairmen Bhattarai and Narayankaji Shrestha at the party plenum held in July last year after the split had announced the end of factions within the party. So what does the clash which occurred just a day after the party on Sunday rescheduled its general convention for February 2? "In fact, the rift had never ended," said Jhalak Subedi, a political analyst. Former Maoist leader Mani Thapa said that the clash on Monday was a natural outburst as the both factions have been trying to negate each others for a long time. The rift will only widen by the end by the time the general convention is held. The rift between Dahal and Bhattarai had started soon after the launch of the “People´s War”. It is interesting to note that the signs of a rift in the Maoist party manifests in its trade union first as it controls both money and muscle power. The rift is a natural outcome of the struggle between the two factions to capture the resources and organizational power. Currently, while Dahal controls the party, Bhattarai heads the government. This makes them powerful and equal enemies. According to Thapa, both factions have collected enough money to attract cadres from the rival faction for the general convention. “Unfortunately, Dahal has money and muscle power Bhattarai only has money only,” claimed Thapa. According to Maoist leaders, both Dahal and Bhattarai have been trying to garner support in their favor to run for the prime ministerial post. This has further widened the rift between the two leaders. Nnnn