Dinanath Sharma seeks details on Maoist victims

Kathmandu, May 5:

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Rajendra Mahato, today urged all the political parties to support the proposal to amend the interim constitution that would authorise the parliament to declare Nepal a republic.

“Instead of talking about declaring the country a republic from the street, leaders should lobby in the parliament to have the amendment proposal passed,” he said, while addressing a talk programme at the Media Group Nepal.

He said all the parties should support for making an amendment to the interim constitution and their joint effort will make the parliament strong enough to decide the future of monarchy.

Mahato urged all the parties to be responsible and take partial responsibility for not being able to hold CA polls on schedule.

Maoist leader Dinanath Sharma demanded that the government produce details of those Maoist victims who have taken financial support from the government. “There are hundreds of people who have taken billions of rupees from the state in the name of being Maoist victims. We need the details of those people,” he said, adding that those people who have taken assistance from the government are not willing to return to their homes.

He said that while the government is distributing money to the so-called Maoist victims, those people who were tortured by the security forces are still living in misery in the villages.

“It is a shame that the government has distributed assistance to those landlords who are living in the capital,” he said.

UML leader Yubaraj Gyawali said that the prime minister must step down if he is ready to take responsibility for delay in holding CA polls.

He suggested that the parliament could dump monarchy with the help of other parties, as leftists alone do not make the majority to take the vital decision. CP Mainali, general secretary of the CPN-ML, said that the amendment to the interim constitution will enable the parliament to declare the country a republic, and also remove the prime minister through a no-trust motion.

No hike in fuel price: Minister

KATHMANDU: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Rajendra Mahato on Saturday said the government “is not going to increase the price of petroleum products”. Talking to journalists after a talk programme here, he said: “I’m not in a mood to hike fuel prices. I do not want to invite more problems for the government.” The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies had held a meeting with representatives of political parties and other stakeholders on the possibility of increasing the price of petroleum products on Thursday. — HNS