Kathmandu, November 29:

Chairman of the CPN-Maoist Prachanda today said that his party would lose its identity if it did not remain firm on its agenda of ethnic autonomy.

“We will no more remain Maoists if we forget the agenda of ethnic autonomy, through which we gathered strength and support of the mass.

Voices of the ethnic communities, Dalits, women and other marginalised sections of the society will remain our voice forever,” he told at an interaction organised by the Brihat Rastriya Lok Ganatantrik Morcha-Nepal.

He said injustice to the underprivileged communities is the root of all political, economic, social and religious problems.

“The ego of the so-called upper class Hindus has devastated the country and this should be reformed politically to materialise the dream of an egalitarian Nepal,” he said, adding that he feels disappointed to hear the party being charged of quitting the slogan of ethnic autonomy.

He said that his party would continue its fight for a federal republican set up in Nepali.

“In the last 10 years, we could not do much but we at least developed nine autonomous regions and turned the downtrodden people into rulers of their own,” he said.

Prachanda said the recent comprehensive peace agreement was only a document of compromise because the Maoists had to agree on various points just for the sake of saving the nation from the conspiracies of regressive forces.

“Still there are challenges ahead. We are only happy that we have turned all efforts of the palace to break the negotiation a failure,” he said, claiming that “the palace is still active in delaying constituent assembly polls and rule autocratically for some more decades.

“The force was active even till late night of November 7, which was resolved dramatically. And I must tell you that even some leaders in the seven-party alliance did not want the agreement to take place,” he added.

He said that the Maoists’ representation in the interim parliament will be proportionally inclusive and will have over 40 per cent women.

Prachanda sarcastically “thanked” King Gyanendra and his coup, which brought political forces to one table and helped them raise voice for a republican system.

Replying to a query, he said he preferred to be called “Prachanda” instead of Pushpa Kamal Dahal “because my real name smells Bahun”.