Says she did not order search of YCL offices

Biratnagar, February 7:

Nepali Congress leader and minister without portfolio Sujata Koirala today accused the Maoists of working overtime to try and spike the April 10 C A polls.

Talking to reporters here, Koirala said, “Previous activities of the Maoists were also always aimed at disrupting the CA polls.” She condemned the Maoists’ decision to establish a parallel government while sitting in government, their bullying and booing of leaders and cadres of other political parties and disrupting public meetings of the other parties.

“If the Maoists don’t change their conduct, the government is likely to take action against them,” Koirala said. She denied Maoist chairman Prachanda’s charge that the police raids on the offices of the YCL were carried out at her behest. “It is the government’s prerogative to control criminal activities, she said. “It can crack down on those doing wrong. There is no need to make a mountain out of a molehill on this issue.”

Koirala asked, “When criminal activities get out of hand, what is the government to do? In any case, it was the government and not I who ordered the raids on the YCL offices. She also said that the Maoists should welcome the government’s action for crime control.

Koirala said,” Why are the Maoist leaders protesting the government action against the YCL? They should instead be happy.”