CA ELECTION ESSENTIAL; SAYS DPM SHRESTHA Kathmandu, 6 Jan.: Vice-Chairman of the ruling UCPN-Maoist Narayan Kaji Shrestha has said that the election to Constituent Assembly must be held before coming May by forging a national consensus, RSS reports.. Leader Shrestha said as a leader of the big party and as the Deputy Prime Minister he was doing the needful to prevent the country from heading towards a serious crisis. Vice-Chairman Shrestha claimed that he has resumed the effort of a consensus. Talking to National News Agency (RSS) at his office on Sunday, he said political parties need to forge a consensus by making the CA elections a bottom line. In order to intensify debate and discussion for a consensus, he met with CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and told him that if the elections to the CA could not be held in April/May, restoration of the CA would be another option to deliver constitution to the people. He proposed the restoration of CA and promulgation of constitution, then formation of Nepali Congress-led government and holding election to legislature parliament with senior leader Nepal. But leader Nepal doubted on the agreement among parties' on the restoration of the CA. Vice-Chairman Shrestha stressed the need of consensus again reasoning even the constitutional bodies were seeing shortage of human resources including of the senior officials. "If the CA can't be restored, a bottom line should be set for fresh people's mandate before May," he added. He also disclosed that he held talks with CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal over phone and discussed the crisis. On a different note, Vice-Chairman Shrestha who is also the Foreign Minister, said all political parties were in need of making univocal stand on immediate release of colonel Kumar Lama who has been arrested in the UK. According to him, the arrest of colonel Lama has besmirched the dignity of an independent and sovereign country, Nepal. nnnn UPDATE SUDHIR BASNET SENT TO JUDICIAL CUSTODY Kathmandu, 6 Jan. Promoter of Agni Air Sudhir Bassnet was sent to judicial contody by a single bench of the supreme court for seven days. He was arrested for fraud. Nnn . UNIVERSITY STUDENTS HIT HARD Kathamandu, 6 Jan.: The frequent padlock that has developed as malpractice in the education sector has posed a serious threat to quality education, a basic parameter for students for competing in the global market, RSS reports from Kirtipur. The students in Tribhuvan University (TU), Purbanchal University (PU), Nepal Sanskrit University and Mid-Western University have been made the victims of series of strikes, padlocks and protests organized by different students´ groups. The regular activities, including examinations schedules, results, admission, etc have been affected due to the strikes and padlocking staged in the name of students and other groups. The TU Office has been padlocked since November 20, 2012 by Nepal National University Teachers´ Association, professors´ organization affiliated to the CPN-Maoist. The Association that has started the strike padlocking the Office of the TU Office Bearers padlocked the main gate of the TU, saying the TU Administration remained indifferent toward their demands. Regular activities at the TU including works of TU Service Commission, scholarship programs, salary distribution and others have been brought to a halt. Similarly, the PU has also faced the same fate. The PU Teacher´s Union is in a warpath demanding that the Registrar of the university be appointed from the senior professors working in the campuses affiliated to PU. The examinations schedule and other activities have been affected due to the PU teachers strike. Likewise, the Democratic Professors´ Union at the Nepal Sanskrit University has been agitating since December. Surendra Thapa, Campus Chief of Nepal Kasthamandap College, Kalanki, said the trend of padlocking culture appeared in the education sector is a serious problem. Thapa stressed the need of implementing the government decision to make the education sector a Zone of Peace adding that education sector be free from politics to maintain the academic excellence. nnnn JOURNALIST BURIED ALIVE UPDATE 1 Kathmandu, 7 Jan 7: In a gruesome revelation on journalist Dekendra Thapa´s murder, the accused while recording their statements with the police have admitted to burying Thapa even before he breathed his last, Kalendra Sejuwal/ GOvinda KC write in Republica from Dailekh,. Police had recently arrested five Maoist cadres on the charge of abducting and subsequently murdering Thapa eight years ago. Of those arrested, four are district-level leaders and cadres of the UCPN (Maoist) while one is affiliated to the breakaway CPN-Maoist. Police had arrested Laxmi Ram Gharti Magar of Dwari VDC-1, Dailekh, on Thursday, four years after Thapa´s wife Laxmi lodged a written complaint against the four district-level leaders and cadres of the UCPN (Maoist). According to the police, Laxmi Ram, in his statement, said Thapa was taken to various places after his abduction on June 26, 2004. Thapa was brutally thrashed. “We took Dekendra to my home after he fell unconscious with his hands and legs broken,” Inspector Binod Sharma, who is investigating the case, quoted Laxmi Ram as saying. “Dekendra asked for water and I gave him some. We buried him in a land nearby my house after two of my friends pronounced him dead after feeling his pulse,” Sharma quoted the accused as saying. Laxmi Ram also informed though they were not sure if Thapa had already died, they buried him. According to the police, the accused have also confessed that then CPN-Maoist had issued a directive to kill Dekendra. In his statement, Laxmi Ram, informed that Dekendra was tortured for questioning irregularities in a drinking water project and for participating in a function attended by then King Gyanendra. “It has become clear that the district-level leadership of then CPN-Maoist issued a directive to kill Thapa,” added inspector Sharma. “The guilty should be brought to book irrespective of his position.” Sharma also informed that the initial investigations have indicated involvement of nine persons in Thapa´s murder. While recording his statement with the police, Laxmi Ram has pleaded guilty and sought a harsh punishment for his crime. “I am now in a position to accept the crime that I committed without fear. Only when I am punished will Dekendra´s soul rest in peace,” he was quoted as saying. Acting on Magar´s statement, police arrested Bir Bahadur KC of Baluwatar VDC-7, Nirak Bahadur Gharti Magar of Baluwatar-9, and Harilal Pun Magar of Dwari VDC-3, on Friday. Jay Bahadur Shahi, a resident of Raniban VDC-1, who was holed up in former lawmaker Bharat Regmi´s house, was also arrested on Saturday. Meanwhile, CPN-Maoist has demanded unconditional release of its cadres. Issuing a press statement, party spokesperson Pampha Bhusal on Sunday accused the police of terrifying the people and arresting innocent people. The party has also demanded action against the police for the “murder” of Shailendra Nath Tiwari, Aabadh state committee member of the party. Tiwari, who was arrested by the Rupandehi police on Wednesday, was found dead. |"Comrade Shailendra Tiwari was murdered in the police post after arrest. We demand investigation into the murder and compensation to family of the deceased," reads the statement Nnnn RSS KIRTIPUR, Jan 6: The frequent padlock that has developed as malpractice in the education sector has posed a serious threat to quality education, a basic parameter for students for competing in the global market. The students in Tribhuvan University (TU), Purbanchal University (PU), Nepal Sanskrit University and Mid-Western University have been made the victims of series of strikes, padlocks and protests organized by different students´ groups. The regular activities, including examinations schedules, results, admission, etc have been affected due to the strikes and padlocking staged in the name of students and other groups. The TU Office has been padlocked since November 20, 2012 by Nepal National University Teachers´ Association, professors´ organization affiliated to the CPN-Maoist. The Association that has started the strike padlocking the Office of the TU Office Bearers padlocked the main gate of the TU, saying the TU Administration remained indifferent toward their demands. Regular activities at the TU including works of TU Service Commission, scholarship programs, salary distribution and others have been brought to a halt. Similarly, the PU has also faced the same fate. The PU Teacher´s Union is in a warpath demanding that the Registrar of the university be appointed from the senior professors working in the campuses affiliated to PU. The examinations schedule and other activities have been affected due to the PU teachers strike. Likewise, the Democratic Professors´ Union at the Nepal Sanskrit University has been agitating since December. Surendra Thapa, Campus Chief of Nepal Kasthamandap College, Kalanki, said the trend of padlocking culture appeared in the education sector is a serious problem. Thapa stressed the need of implementing the government decision to make the education sector a Zone of Peace adding that education sector be free from politics to maintain the academic excellence. Nnnn GLOBAL FUND TO SUPPORT FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMME Kathmandu, 7 Jan.:: The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) under the Global Agriculture Fund (GAF) is extending US$46.5 million to Nepal to enhance food security in 20 food-deficit districts in hilly and mountainous regions of far- and mid-western Nepal. Nepal government is also contributing $11.5 million to the program that is expected to commercialize the farm sector in the targeted districts that have long been facing food shortage. The World Bank, on behalf of the GAF, and the Ministry of Agriculture Development (MoAD), are signing a technical deal in this regard on Monday. “The GAF is supporting us to enhance farm production in areas facing perennial food insecurity where commercial farming is yet to be practiced. The support is being extended as per our request,” Ram Prasad Pulami, joint secretary at the MoAD, told Republica on Saturday. The US$ 58 million project for the food security will be implemented in all districts except those lying in the Tarai. Under the project, the plan to commercialize production of cereal crops, vegetables, fruits and livestock, among others, is tied-up with programs aimed at raising production level and strengthening the market access of local farmers. “Programs are focused on boosting production and productivity in the farms and enhancing the market access of producers. Besides, programs on transfer of knowledge on production of farm inputs such as seeds and fertilizers, among others, are also included” said Pulami. Pulami also said the seven-year project will include programs aimed at enhancing nutrition intake of local people. Other programs include, building infrastructure such as roads, market centers and service centers that is necessary to reap maximum benefit from farm commercialization, and capacity building of local farmers. According to Pulami, around 150,000 farm households are expected to benefit from the project, which will be jointly implemented by the MoAD and the Ministry of Health and Population. Lack of infrastructure, including road, processing facility and markets for farm produces, has long been hampering the commercialization of the farming sector. Nepal has been facing food insecurity not only during years of food deficit but even during food surplus years due to inability to transport food grains to food deficit districts in absence of a proper distribution channel. Around three dozen districts have long been witnessing food deficit. Nnnn NC PRESIDENT READY TO WTHDRAW CANDIDACY Kathmandu, 7 Jan.: Nepali Congress leader Sujata Koirala on Sunday revealed that NC President Sushil Koirala is ready to withdraw his name from the candidacy of consensus prime minister, The Himalayan Times writes.. Speaking at an interaction programme organised by the Reporters’ Club here in the Capital on Sunday, the former Deputy Prime Minister claimed that the NC president despite his reluctance was nominated for the leadership of purported consensus government due to the pressure of CPN-UML. According to her, Nepali politics has been revolving around UCPN-Maoist and Nepali Congress and the two parties should come to terms to find the way out to the country. Contrary to her party’s official line, she opined that the NC should join the incumbent government accepting the Ministry of Home Affairs as per UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s proposal. The NC should consider its partisan interests secondary, according to her, and take decisions to join the Baburam Bhattatrai- led government in order to find a way out to the country. Speaking at the same programme, Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai’s chief political advisor Devendra Paudel said holding for elections by transforming the incumbent government into a national unity government is the easiest way to resolve the existing crisis. If the national consensus could not be formed by January 9, he argued, the dissolved Constituent Assembly should be reinstated. According to him, the CA revival could be the meeting point of agreement if the parties did not accept the leadership of ruling coalition or a non-partisan individual to form the new government as NC President Koirala would not acceptable as consensus prime minister because the opposition parties are not acknowledging Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai’s leadership. Pradeep Gyawali of CPN-UML charged that the notion of giving leadership of government to an independent person and CA revival is a Maoist ploy to thwart the elections in May. Talking about a non-partisan prime minister in the multiparty system, he said, the Maoists have taken up a strategy to not the elections happen. “There can be no non-partisan solution in the multiparty system,” he argued. Secretary of CPN-Maoist Dev Gurung stated that the President should scrap the dissolution of CA and government’s announcement to hold fresh elections if the parties failed to forge consensus. Saying many articles of Interim Constitution have been nullified due to the May 27 step, Gurung said if the President is the custodian of constitution then he should be able to scrap the government’s move. "Way out for now is the correction from the point of breach of constitution," he said. Chairman of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal Upendra Yadav pointed out that the President should take some solid steps to find a way out to the existing crisis. Otherwise there is no alternative to agitation, he said. The series of extension of deadline to forge the political consensus should be brought to an end, Yadav said, then the President should be asked to find the new ways to resolve the crisis. The CA revival notion by the government that announced fresh elections is nothing other than a ploy to prolong the stay in government, according to Yadav. Nnnn PRESIDENT SHOULD SACK PM SAYS NC’S MAHAT Kathamandu, 7 Jan. Nepali Congress (NC) central member and former Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat said that the President should take an initiative at the earliest to oust the Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai led caretaker government from the helm and restore normalcy in the country, Jagdish Bhattarai writes in The Himalayan Times from Palpa. Speaking at a press conference organised by the Nepal Press Union Palpa in Tansen on Sunday, Mahat blamed the incumbent government as the graft-tainted administration which embezzled millions of rupees from the state coffers over and over again in the past. The NC leader further said that there is no alternative for the incumbent government but to step down. Former Finance Minister Mahat said that the head of the state should go beyond the constitution if necessary while bailing the country out from the political and constitution crisis. Mahat urged the President to sack the incumbent government at the earliest as it does not deserve the portfolio. He said that the NC is not in favour the latest Maoist proposal of forming a consensus government led by either one of the fringe party or by an independent person. Prominent NC leader Mahat made it clear that the latest Maoist proposal is just a ploy to prolong the power. UCPN-M has been breaching their words time and again owing to which the UCPN-M does not want the fresh polls to be held in April/May, he said. nnnn