KATHMANDU: Constitutional Committee chairman Nilambar Acharya today said that the UCPN-Maoist’s recent move of declaring ethnic autonomous states across the country was leading the country towards confrontation.

Acharya also expressed fear saying that such a situation among the political parties would make it difficult to promulgate the new constitution on time.

While addressing a programme in the capital, he said that the Maoists’ decision to unilaterally declare the autonomous states had undermined the ongoing peace process and constitution-drafting process as well. “Such a decision is a premature act which will not help restore rule of law and supremacy of the Constituent Assembly — the sole body to take decision on this issue,” Acharya said. He also accused the Maoists of trying to

derail the peace process by provoking people to capture the

private and public land as well

as the forests.

Meanwhile, Nepa:Khala, in a press statement today, objected to the Maoists’ move of announcing autonomous states. It said that the Kathmandu Valley cannot be declared “Newa autonomous state” in such a fashion as declared by the Maoists yesterday. It sought for a referendum to decide the issue. It also condemned other political parties for their sense of helplessness to stop the Maoists’ unilateral move.