Nepali Maoists in Indian jails to be freed soon: Yechuri

Kathmandu, November 15:

The government of India is set to release the Maoists languishing in Indian jails within a week, Sitaram Yechuri, politburo member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), said on arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport today.

“The Indian government must now release the Maoists as the situation has changed here and the Nepali laws under which they were arrested do not exist anymore. They should be released within the next one week or so,” said Yechuri who had met the Indian foreign minister and the foreign secretary yesterday.

Yechuri added: “There is a legal process even for releasing them and we have asked the

Indian government to speed up the process. I have been informed that the process has

already been initiated.”

Over 100 Maoists, including their leaders CP Gajurel and Mohan Vaidhya, are in various Indian jails. Asked if the Indian government would support Nepal in establishing cantonments and rehabilitation of Maoist armed personnel, Yechuri said: “The Indian government is supportive of any action Nepali people take for restoration of a modern democratic Nepal.”

Recalling the “large economic package” that was “dealt with” when PM GP Koirala visited India, he said India was committed to provide all kind of support to Nepal for her economic recovery.

He said he was happy to become a “special guest” of Nepal to witness the government and Maoists signing a comprehensive peace agreement tomorrow. “I am honoured to become the special guest, thanks to the PM (Koirala).”

He met Maoist supremo Prachanda and discussed the peace pact to be signed tomorrow. Yechuri is also learnt to have informed Prachanda on the process for releasing the Maoists in Indian jails.

He is scheduled to meet PM Koirala and the UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and other leaders tomorrow. He will leave Kathmandu tomorrow.