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Chand Commits to Peaceful Politics but Many Questions Remain Unanswered

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WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 16 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 32.2 C 0.4 C Saturday, March 06, 2021 | 22-11-2077 Nepalgunj Jumla Congress lawmakers against backing Oli and rather for leading new government But with a formal proposal yet to be made to the party and the Nepal Communist Party besieged with legal complications, it is in no hurry to make a decision. ANIL GIRI of Oli,” Gagan Thapa, a parliamentar- KATHMANDU, MARCH 5 ian from Kathmandu, told the Post. “They said that Nepali Congress With the Nepal Communist Party so should lead the next government if deeply divided, both its warring fac- the opportunity arises.” tions have offered the Nepali Congress, According to Thapa, the Congress which has just 63 seats in the 275-mem- should first ask for the resignation of ber House of Representatives, a Prime Minister Oli. chance to lead the government. “Resignation of Prime Minister Oli If the suggestions of the Nepali should be our agenda. Then we should Congress lawmakers are anything to be open to all options but we seem to go by, it will side with the faction led have dropped the agenda of Oli’s by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav resignation,” Thapa added. Kumar Nepal as the party has already Oli, however, has said that he will labelled Prime Minister KP Sharma not resign but face the House instead. Oli’s House dissolution move uncon- The Dahal-Nepal faction of Nepal stitutional, a position that the Communist Party is expected to regis- Supreme Court also upheld. ter a no-confidence motion against the “Morally and politically, Congress Oli government when Parliament con- should not support Oli,” Congress law- venes on Sunday. maker Bhimshen Das Pradhan told Dahal and Nepal are set to meet the Post. “Since the Nepali Congress Nepali Congress President Sher has already termed the Oli govern- Bahadur Deuba and some senior lead- ment ‘unconstitutional’ for its involve- ers of the party on Saturday or Sunday, ment in many unconstitutional moves, according to a leader close to Deuba. we cannot support Oli and allow him Despite the offers of prime minister to continue as the prime minister.” position from both factions of the POST PHOTO: ANGAD DHAKAL Not to side with Oli was also Nepal Communist Party, the Nepali Civil society members, under the banner of Brihat Nagarik Andolan, stage a protest in front of the Embassy of Myanmar in Bhaisepati, Lalitpur the view expressed by the major- Congress is yet to make its position on Friday against the Myanmar security forces’ crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators and to show their solidarity with the people of ity of Nepali Congress lawmak- clear. Myanmar in their fight for democracy. ers during the Parliamentary But not all Congress parliamentari- Party meeting on Friday. ans are of the view that the party But they made it clear that should join hands with the Dahal- the party should join hands Nepal faction. During Friday’s with one of the factions only if it Parliamentary Party meeting, some gets the opportunity to lead the lawmakers close to Deuba said that INSIDE government. Nepali Congress should stay neutral Chand commits to “The majority of the parlia- and if necessary, and if the environ- mentarians who spoke during ment is favourable, should support Oli Oli government making efforts today’s meeting said that the to save his government. to secure affiliation for B&C party should not stand in favour >> Continued on page 2 Medical College peaceful politics but KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli recently announced that B&C Medical College in Birtamod, Jhapa, will soon get affiliation from many questions Kathmandu University. Oli’s announcement came just a week after the senate meeting of the university, where Education Minister Krishna remain unanswered Gopal Shrestha had pushed the pro- posal of granting affiliation to the medical college. Even though the The three-point deal signed with the government does issue B&C affiliation was not on the agenda of the February 24 senate not say much about arms management and addressing meeting, Minister Shrestha had reportedly pushed the proposal just the Communist Party of Nepal’s political issues. about the meeting was about to con- clude. The senate meeting ended without taking any decision on the matter. But when the meeting’s min- ute was released two days later, Bed Mani Dahal, a senate member, said it was mentioned in the document that the senate had consented to grant affiliation to B&C. (Details on Pg 2) Muskan Khatun among recipients of International Women of Courage Award KATHMANDU: Muskam Khatun from Nepal has been selected for the International Women of Courage Award for 2021 for her work to end acid attacks. The US Embassy in Nepal stated that it was pleased to announce Muskan will be awarded the prestigious International Women of Courage Award for her work to end acid attacks. First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary of State Tony Blinken will host a virtual event on March 8. Muskan, 17, herself is an acid attack survivor. “I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that Nepal’s Muskan Khatun will be receiving the State Department’s International Women POST PHOTO: PRAKASH CHANDRA TIMILSENA of Courage Award for her work to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli welcomes Communist Party of Nepal General Secretary Netra end acid attacks,” Berry wrote on Bikram Chand as he made a public appearance at City Hall in Kathmandu on Friday after Twitter. (Details on Pg 3) years of violent underground politics. TIKA R PRADHAN revolution’, saying the existing politi- Nepal plans 5G mobile KATHMANDU, MARCH 5 cal system is outdated and that it internet roll-out by mid-July needs to be changed for which his After almost two years underground, party has been demanding a referen- KATHMANDU: Nepal plans to roll out 5G while his Communist Party of Nepal dum to decide between the parliamen- mobile internet by mid-July as it adopted violent means for political tary system currently in practice or races to become the first country in ends, Netra Bikram Chand, the party’s scientific socialism. South Asia to offer super fast connec- general secretary, made his first public The details of what scientific social- tivity. Fifth generation wireless appearance on Friday and expressed ism entails remain unclear. mobile networks will be set up in commitment to peaceful politics. “War ends when there is no sup- Kathmandu and three other major He, however, said that the Nepali pression. Therefore, we should dare cities under a pilot project by the end people should be given a choice on the once to allow people to make a choice,” of this fiscal year. Min Prasad Aryal, political path the country follows. Chand said. director of the Nepal “What do Nepali people want? Is it Chand’s public appearance comes Telecommunications Authority, said their fate to always remain within the days after the government formed a they had submitted a proposal on trap of comprador capitalism?” he two-member team led by Home February 1 to the National Frequency said. “Once again Nepali people Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa which Determining Committee under the should get an opportunity to choose held two rounds of talks on Wednesday Ministry of Information, the fate of the country.” with a team led by Khadga Bahadur Communication and Technology to His party signed a three-point Bishwakarma, the Communist Party issue a separate frequency for 5G agreement with the government of Nepal spokesman. operation. The ministry is studying amidst a ceremony in Kathmandu, in On Thursday an agreement was the proposal, officials said. Anup which Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli reached between the two sides and on Nepal, chief engineer at the minis- was present. As per the agreement, Friday Chand appeared at the agree- try’s Frequency Management and the government will release all arrest- ment-signing ceremony after holding Analysis Division, said they were ed cadres of the party. talks with Oli at the prime minister’s carrying out additional studies on the Chand tried to defend his party’s residence earlier in the day. proposal. (Details on Pg 5) political doctrine of ‘unified people’s >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K SATURDAY, MARCH 06, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Chand commits to Oli government making efforts to secure peaceful politics but affiliation for B&C Medical College many questions remain ... Education Minister Shrestha pushes the affiliation proposal at the senate meeting of Kathmandu University. >> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 NETRA BIKRAM CHAND BINOD GHIMIRE even if there are legal barriers.” A Cabinet meeting on Thursday decid- KATHMANDU, MARCH 5 Asked why the senate made the ed to lift the three-year ban on the 1968 decision if there are legal barriers, party and the Home Ministry directed Born Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli recent- Thapa said it was the proposal from the police to release all cadres of the ly announced that B&C Medical the executive and they agreed to for- party. The government is also commit- College in Birtamod, Jhapa, will soon ward it. ted to withdrawing all cases pending get affiliation from Kathmandu The senate is the supreme body of 1996-2006 in courts against cadres of Chand’s University. the university which holds the author- A key member of Communist Party of Nepal. Oli’s announcement came just a ity to make the policy decisions the Maoist party Chand’s promise to shun violence week after the senate meeting of the including the affiliation.
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