Nuwakot, May 19 :

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prithvi Subba Gurung today said that “anarchic activities” of the Young Communist League (YCL) are disrupting the process of restoration of peace.

These activities prove that the Maoists do not want constituent assembly (CA) polls held. Inaugurating the first district meet of the Loktantrik Tamu Association in Bidur, Gurung said the YCL’s acts of beating up CDO and attacking police posts have been making the conduct of CA polls impossible. He said, “Time has come for the Maoists to say where they want to go — jungle or street?.”

Gurung said the acts of vandalising statues of kings will not end the monarchy. “Such acts come in the way of fulfilling people’s desire of ending monarchy and establishing peace.”

Though late king Prithvi Narayan Shah unified Nepal politically and geographically, he did not unify the country culturally and racially, Gurung said. “Racial, sexual and cultural inclusiveness is the basis for a new Nepal.”

He said that the arrest of Rauta Tamang, a resident of Samari of Nuwakot, on the charge of killing a cow two weeks ago, was against religious independence. Persons having beef in a secular state should not be punished, he said. MPs Parsuram Meghi Gurung and Rajendra Prakash Lohani also spoke on the occasion.