Kathmandu, January 11:

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula said today that the government has not given any responsibility to the CPN-Maoist to hold talks with the Jantantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM).

“We need support of all political parties, including the Maoists, to address the agendas being raised by the JTMM. The Maoists have not been given any responsibility to hold talks with the JTMM,” the Home Minister told MPs at the meeting of the Parliamentary State Affairs Committee (SAC).

He added that all police posts will be re-established in a few days. He said 607 out of 1,300 displaced police posts have been re-established. The government will rent houses belonging to civilians to house the restored police posts, he said, adding: “Policemen will live in tents wherever houses are not available for rent.”

He added that there was a need to provide logistics to policemen and make them well-equipped. MPs had also drawn the attention of the Home Minister towards continued “extortion and threats”. The Home Minister urged the Maoists to live up to their commitment.

Government offices have begun making arrangements for the distribution of citizenship certificates, he said. “There does not exist any law on the basis of which constituent assembly elections can be held,” he said, adding that “grounds” should be prepared for the conduct of the constituent assembly elections.

The MPs had also drawn the attention of the Home Minister towards obstructions being created to hamper the re-establishment of police posts and distribution of citizenship certificates. Sitaula said the obstructions will be removed on the basis of consensus. “The country is focused on holding the constituent assembly elections,” he said, adding: “Nothing should delay the elections.”

“The interim government will be formed once the Interim Constitution is declared on January 15,” Sitaula said. Stating that the SAC’s meeting held today will be a historic meeting, Sitaula said a political understanding will be made to meet challenges that lie ahead.