Return properties‚ complete peace process: Congress

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress today demanded that the remaining work of the integration of Maoist combatants and the peace process including the return of seized properties be completed soon.

Issuing a press release after a Central Committee meeting today, the NC said the Special Committee’s decision on the integration of Maoist combatants had not been fully implemented since the Baburam Bhattarai led government had lost its constitutional legitimacy. “We strongly object and urge the government to expedite these decisions,” the release added.

The party accused the Unified CPN-Maoist and its government of not completely returning seized properties to their rightful owners. “We draw the attention of the Maoist party and its government to these issues,” the NC said. Gagan Thapa said that in some districts, the original land owners whose land the Maoists had returned, were not able to fully use their properties.

A day after the NC dissolved its Chitwan District Working Committee; it formed a 15 member ad hoc committee under Tek Prasad Gurung.

The CC meeting also decided to hold election for the Chitwan District Working Committee on September 14. Attorney-at- law Yadunath Khanal who is the President of NC affiliated Democratic Lawyers Association, has been named the Returning Officer for the election.

According NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi, today’s CC meeting also formed an 11-member committee under Bhim Prasad Tamang to present a report on the 11-point demand put forth a few days ago by the party’s disgruntled indigenous leaders.

The committee is mandated to present its suggestions on the 11-point demand within a month, after studying the demands, party’s policies and election manifesto launched during Constituent Assembly elections in 2008. Kumar Rai, a dissident indigenous leader said the demands were not merely the demands of indigenous communities but also of Dalits, Madhesis, women and other marginalised communities.

NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi said he urged the party to do more homework to institutionalise the gains of political change, republican order, inclusion, mixed election system, secularism and help write a new constitution as per the will of the citizens.

Nidhi also suggested that the party hold a series of separate gatherings of its district, region, Village Development Committee and municipal presidents before organising a joint meeting of all these leaders. “Such meetings will give a new lease of life to the party and will remove gaps between the central and lower levels on various issues,” Nidhi said.

The meeting also called upon those who deserted the party during 2008 CA elections to return to the mother party. The party has also decided to conduct ordinary membership distribution programmes across the country in the next three and half months.