Kathmandu, March 1, 2007

The Maoist parliamentary party today apologised in Parliament for its MP entering the House with arms and said a challenge by Lokendra Bista to take action against him for carrying the gun was unintentional.

“I want to express regret and make an apology for the weakness on our part,” said chief whip of the CPN-Maoist Dev Gurung. He also vowed that the Maoists would not repeat such an act. Gurung aid that the Maoists are trying to adjust with the mainstream politics.

“Our MP, Bista, may have issued such threats out of excitement and it was not intentional.

We regret that such a thing happened and will see to it that it is not repeated,” Gurung said. Bista had on Sunday challenged the government to take action against him for carrying a gun in the parliament.

During the meeting chaired by the Speaker, Bista had labelled MPs and leaders as “wolves and pigs” and threatened to rain blows on them. Some days ago, security personnel at the Singha Durbar main gate had seized pistols from personal guards of Bista and Gurung.

However, the security personnel returned the weapons following “orders from above.” Gurung came up with the apology after CPN-UML and Nepali Congress (Democratic) MPs demanded an explanation on the issue from Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chairman Prachanda.

Nepal asks PM to call 8-party meet

General secretary of the CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal today asked Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to call a meeting of the eight parties to discuss the formation of an interim government and fix the date for the conduct of constituent assembly (CA) elections.

The eight parties, on October 10, had decided to hold the CA elections in mid-June. They had also agreed that the date for the same will be announced once the Maoists join the interim government.

Addressing a blood donation and health exhibition programme organised by the CPN-UML-affiliated All Nepal Women’s Association here, Nepal blamed the government for not being able to form the interim government and pass laws and regulations required for holding the constituent assembly elections.

The Election Commission has already told the government that the elections would not be held on the scheduled date if necessary laws were not passed by legislature-parliament.

Saying that the reactionary and regressive elements were hell-bent on disrupting the CA elections, Nepal said that the elections should be held on the scheduled date by sorting out all problems, including the issues of the Madhesis and Janajatis.