ITAHARI: Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar today said that the government will not give its nod to extend the tenure of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) beyond May 15. He also said that UNMIN did not cooperate with the incumbent government and favoured the Unified CPN-Maoist only.

Talking to mediapersons, Gachhadar, who arrived here to take part in a programme organised by the Trishul Women Credit and Cooperative Limited in Bhaluwa of Sunsari district, said, “The government doubts UNMIN’s activities and its role could not be visible till now.”

“UNMIN always worked in a biased manner,’’ he added.

Gachhadar urged UNMIN to abide by rules and regulations of the country and said it’s tenure will not be extended anymore.

Answering a query of mediapersons, Gachhadar said, “The government has decided not to extend UNMIN’s tenure after May 15.’’ Terming the Maoist cantonments as recruitment centres run by UNMIN, he said, “The UNMIN opened 28 recruitment centres. UCPN-M recruited children luring them with different things and UNMIN verified them.’’

He also claimed that the Maoist combatants in the cantonments are not qualified. But they will be integrated according to the number of weapons they submitted to the UNMIN, he said.

Answering another query of journalists he said, “The government will not be influenced by any foreign force and institution in the future.”

“We are capable of solving our problems,’’ he added. On the High Level Political Mechanism, he said, it should facilitate to end the present impasse. He further said the issue of rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants should also be settled by the HLPM. “The mechanism should also make sure that the Maoists are not breaching the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,’’ he added.

Stating that there would be disaster in the country if the statute could not be drafted within the stipulated time, Gachhadar said, “The big three parties should take the responsibility for the disaster.’’ He also warned that all Madhes-based parties will capture the country and promulgate the statute as per the aspirations of the Madheshi people if the big three political parties failed to draft it.

Saying that the country can prosper if women participated in development activities, he said, “The new statute should guarantee 50 per cent participation of women in all state mechanism.’’