MPs Concerned About Maoists' Violent Acts

Members of Parliament (MPs) today expressed concern about the Maoists' violent activities and said it might be a ploy to defer constituent assembly elections slated for November 22.
Maoist MPs, however, said the political parties were trying to defame their party.
MP Harihar Dahal of the Nepali Congress (NC) sought a remedy to the problem created by the Maoist party cadres. "We have a solution if the king obstructs the elections. But what if Maoist cadres obstruct constituent assembly elections?" he said, while drawing the attention of the Speaker during the special session of the Parliament today.
He said loktantra was not synonymous with coercion or intimidation. "How can we expect the polls to be fair and free in such a situation?" he queried.
Ganga Narayan Shrestha, a Maoist MP, criticised the government for holding dialogue with the "criminals" of the March 27 Gaur incident, where 27 Maoist cadres were killed by cadres of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF).
MP Chitra Bahadur KC of the Janamorcha Nepal criticised the Maoists for having double standards. "How do we expect peace and stability when the party, which is in the government creates troubles?" he asked.
He, however, said that all the eight parties should take the moral responsibility if the government fails to hold constituent assembly in the scheduled date.
Maoist MP Hit Bahadur Tamang defended the Dolakha incident, saying that the whole episode erupted after the government authorities in the district tried to protect a supporter of monarchy.

Maoist Bandh Hits Three Districts

While the indefinite district bandh called by the Maoists affected life in Dolakha district today, the Maoists shut Kavre and Sindhupalchowk districts too today.
The Maoists had called the indefinite bandh in Dolakha putting forward their 3-point demand including release of their cadres arrested for beating up Dolakha CDO Uddhav Bahadur Thapa on Sunday and withdrawal of cases against them.
The Maoists in Kavre and Sindhupalchowk had called a daylong bandh to express solidarity with their comrades in Dolakha.
Transport services, educational institutions and market places remained closed in all three districts. Maoists have blocked the highways by placing obstructions at various places.
Police have arrested nearly three dozen Maoist cadres and charged 11 of them with murder attempt.
Meanwhile, an all-party meeting is scheduled to take place in Charikot in a bid to find a solution to the dispute in Dolakha.