Maost leader agaisnt arm purchase

KATHMANDU: Unified CPN-Maoist leader Top Bahadur Rayamajhi Wednesday criticised the government's decision to purchase weapons stating that it was unnecessary and would only invite further problems.

Speaking at a programme organised in the Capital, Rayamajhi said that purchasing of the arms should not be the main priority of the government at present.

He also slammed the recent remarks made by Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala on the integration of Maoist combatants in the Nepali Army. He accused Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Koirala of trying to dismantle the peace process.

Minister for Energy, Dr Prakash Saran Mahat, claimed that the government had the authority to purcahse necessary weapons for the sake of national security. However, he informed that the government had not decided to purchase any weapons. He further added that the government would complete the integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants before drafting the new constitution.

Chief whip of the CPN-UML, Bhim Acharya, said that his party did not want to import any weapons currently. "The main task is to take the peace process to a logical end and to draft the constitution on time," said Acharya.

Speaking at the same programme, co-chairperson of the Rastriya Janashakti party, Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani, said that the major political parties were not paying sufficient attention towards the drafting of the new constitution. Political parties are just vying for power, he said.