Kathmandu, June 7:

Standing committee member of the CPN-UML Bamdev Gautam said today that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s comment on the Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL) on Monday was “erroneous” and “provocative”.

Addressing a programme at the Reporters’ Club here, Gautam said, “As a chief of the executive, the PM must have courage to take action against criminals, not to issue such provocative statements.”

“YCL’s activities may be questionable. But it is mysterious why the government does not take action against the person wanted by the authorised body of the state?”

He accused the PM and the Home Minister of encouraging the YCL to take law and order in its hands. “Why did the PM not label activities of the YCL unlawful when it captured red sandalwood across the country?” he asked.

He also accused the PM of failing to run the administration effectively despite full support of all the parties.

He said his party was just making constructive criticism at the moment. “If we decide to seek the PM’s resignation, we will quit the government and take to the streets,” he said. He asked Maoist chairman Prachanda to rein in the YCL activities, adding, “Otherwise, the youth wing will eat the CPN (Maoist) itself.”

Responding to a query, Gautam said that UML’s general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal held discussions with the Indian PM and other leaders on bilateral relations, areas of mutual cooperation and issues to be settled at the government level, including the Mahakali Treaty, Bhutanese refugees and cross-border crime.

At the same function, Minister for Land Reforms and Management Jagat Bahadur Bogati said it was “inappropriate” on the part of a government minister to take part in a sit-in organised by the civil society. He was referring to Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Matrika Yadav, who took part in a sit-in yesterday at the Maitaghar Mandala along with civil society members.

He also said that the government will be compelled to ban the YCL if the latter does not stop its unlawful acts.

Terming the PM’s comment on the YCL “unsuitable”, human rights activist Krishna Pahadi

also accused the Maoists of misusing the peace process to their advantage.