Prachanda offer

This refers to the news report “Nepal high on hope, UML doubts PM’s offer” (THT, Oct. 13). The former CPN-UML general secretary, Madhav Kumar Nepal, is rightly suspicious about the CPN-Maoist proposal to either make him the head of the constitution-drafting committee or leader of the proposed high-level mechanism of the ruling coalition. The ‘poor old man’ of Nepali politics was let down by the Maoists in the presidential race.

The Maoist backing of Ramraja Prasad Singh at the last minute must have come as quite a shock both for Nepal and CPN-UML.

Rightly or wrongly, CPN-UML now feels that the Maoists are now courting it just for political

convenience, not for the country or consolidation of the communist forces.

According to the report, senior Maoist leader Mohan Baidhya ‘Kiran’ has asked the CPN-UML not to read too much into the offer. This might mean that the Maoist offer may go to Nepali

Congress if CPN-UML turns down the offer. Hence CPN-UML needs to be positive but at the same time a little cautious about Maoist offer. What is undeniable is that there is no alternative to all the political parties, big and small, working together to draft an inclusive and meaningful constitution.

Atul Panta, via e-mail

Their turn

This concerns the news report “Maoists responsible for crisis: Gupta” (THT, Oct. 13), in which

the acting chairman of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandi Devi) Shyam Sundar Gupta accuses CPN-Maoist of trying to establish a totalitarian regime. During the CPN-Maoist’s ascent to the top of the government, some critics were quick to point out that even Hitler had been elected

democratically before he unleashed his terror on millions of innocent men, women and children. The same, they fear, could take place under Maoist-led rule.

Yet no one can say that the Maoists have not changed at all after they came out of the jungle

following a decade-long conflict. They deserve a chance as every other political force has failed to take the country on the path of peace and prosperity. It is wrong to be unnecessarily suspicious of anybody. Foreign examples cannot be blindly applied to Nepal. The deeds of any

political force are important, and any view of it should be formed on the basis of its performance, rather than on what other parties may think of it.

Rajak Sakya, Tahiti

Russia link

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda’s US visit was covered extensively by Nepali press. Less well known is his meeting with the Russian foreign minister. Russia reportedly renewed its interest in extending assistance for Nepal’s development. Russia is a strategically important country as it is not only a rising economic power but an established military power as well. The Russian minister has also extended an invitation to our PM to visit Russia.

The invitation must be immediately honoured since Russia has given Nepal significant aid, and

can even contribute to Nepal’s hydropower development and help make Nepal self-reliant on energy. To forge stronger links with Russia, the services of NRN community who have operated in that part of the world could be utilised.

Adarsha Tuladhar, via e-mail