WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 271 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 29.4 C -2.5 C Sunday, November 29, 2020 | 14-08-2077 Bhairahawa Jumla Oli goes on the offensive as he responds to Dahal’s allegations In a 38-page rebuttal, Oli reminds his fellow chair of his actions, past and present. He, however, has left some room for reconciliation, calling on all to work to save the unity. TIKA R PRADHAN KATHMANDU, NOV 28 Coercion, threat, persuasion, arm-twisting and more. Nepal Communist Party chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has used all that was available in his armoury, as he responded to the other chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Saturday. He, however, has left some room for reconciliation. Oli presented his political document, which was keenly awaited by the party members, the media and public, at Saturday’s Secretariat meeting. PHOTO COURTESY: PM’S SECRETARIAT Referring directly to Dahal, he has Nepal Communist Party chairs KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal at Saturday’s meeting. once again made an attempt to assert that he is the one who calls the shots Dahal’s politics by agreeing to a merg- has always been supportive of con- in the party. He went on to make some er in 2018 with his party despite the cluding it. He, however, has a word of remarks that are too personal and fact that Dahal had broken the exist- warning too. even questioned his fellow leader’s ing promise to lead the government “This [transitional justice] is a very political and social standing. for a second time in 2016. sensitive issue. This is an issue with In his 53-point rebuttal, Oli has tried In his document, Oli has also tried which Nepal’s commitment and credi- to respond to every allegation that to remind Madhav Kumar Nepal, who bility are attached… it concerns vic- POST PHOTO: HEMANTA SHRESTHA Dahal had made in his political docu- has become his bete noire, that how tims’ feelings and there is internation- Dancers masked as Barah and Hiranyakashipu perform on the first day of Kartik Naach at Patan Durbar Square in Lalitpur on Friday evening. ment presented at the November 13 Dahal once scuttled his prospects of al community’s interest and concern,” According to the organisers, the month-long performance initiated by King Siddhi Narsingh Malla some 380 years ago will be held only for two meeting. becoming the President. said Oli. “What is the meaning of your days this year due to the pandemic, down from 12 days in recent years. Oli started his response calling In quite a personal attack, he also statement that you will ‘take the Dahal’s document a collection of arti- questioned how Dahal’s party had to responsibility for the deaths of just ficial indictments that reflected noth- resort to shenanigans for the sake of 5,000 people’?” ing but his personal grudges, his daughter who was contesting for During the Dahal-led People’s War unbounded frustration and vested the post of Chitwan mayor during the from 1996-2006, around 13,000 people interest. 2017 local elections. had died. The transitional justice pro- As Kathmandu plays host to guests “This, prima facie, deserves rescind- Oli also touched upon the transi- cess is yet to conclude and victims ment,” Oli wrote in his document, a tional justice process, the Baluwatar have been awaiting justice for the last copy of which was obtained by the land grab scam, and politicians’ fancy 14 years. Dahal faces the accusation of Post. lifestyles, among others, in an appar- delaying justice for thousands of con- Oli accuses Dahal of turning the ent indication that he still has some flict-era victims. In January, at a pub- from south and north, concerns disagreements into enmity, thereby cards up his sleeve if he were to act lic function in Kathmandu, Dahal said pushing the communist movement vindictive. that he would take responsibility for towards a grave crisis. In his 41st point, talking about the only 5,000 insurgency-era deaths. grow over geopolitical games He also took the credit for saving transition justice process, Oli says he >> Continued on page 2 Nepali leadership needs to strike a fine balance when it comes to dealing with neighbours and friendly nations so as to earn support for its larger national interests, analysts say. ANIL GIRI according to the ministry. to effect a rapprochement with KATHMANDU, NOV 28 “He will leave Kathmandu in the Kathmandu. evening of the same day,” said the It set in motion a chain of events. Kathmandu has never been busier ministry. Just before the Dashain festival, it like now this past year. It is suddenly Analysts say after a months-long sent the chief of its foreign spy agen- scrambling to play host to some calm, geopolitical games are back into cy to meet with Prime Minister KP high-profile guests–both from the play in Nepal and that failure to Sharma Oli in the third week of south and north. strike a fine balance by the October. The visit, which drew a fair share of controversy, was followed by Indian Army chief MM Naravane’s trip to Kathmandu earlier this month. Weeks later, the Indian foreign secre- tary arrived. The message from Delhi is clear: it wants to re-establish its ties with Kathmandu. As soon as Shringla landed in Kathmandu, he launched a charm offensive. He called Nepal and India close friends and said he was in Kathmandu to strengthen bilateral ties. His linguistic diplomacy was in full display as he chose to speak in Nepali. After every meeting with Nepali officials, Shringla re-asserted the importance India attaches to Nepal. On Friday, before wrapping up his visit, Shringla delivered a lecture, describing Nepal-India relationship as intricate which “exists in various par- adigms”. “Aside from our common civilisa- tional inheritance, India’s relation- ship with Nepal rests on four pillars— development cooperation; stronger connectivity; expanded infrastructure and economic projects; easier and enhanced access to educational oppor- POST ILLUSTRATION: KRISHNA GOPAL SHRESTHA tunities in India for the young people Just as it saw off Indian Foreign leadership in Kathmandu could turn of Nepal,” said Shringla. “India sees Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on the country into a battleground for itself as Nepal’s foremost friend and Friday, Kathmandu has got into full foreign powers. development partner.” swing to prepare itself to welcome “China seems to be losing its social The establishment in Delhi is for Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe and political ground in Kathmandu long under the impression, ever since on Sunday. because culturally, socially, politically it failed to acknowledge the constitu- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other socilisations of Nepalis, tion promulgation in 2015 and imposed announced on Saturday that Wei will Nepal is by and large close to India a five-month-long border blockade, arrive in Kathmandu on Sunday on a and the United States,” said Mrigendra that it has lost its sphere of influence daylong visit. Bahadur Karki, executive director of in Nepal. “During his day-long stay in the Centre for Nepal and South Asian Oli’s return to power riding on the Kathmandu, Wei will call on Prime Studies. “India is trying to restore its nationalistic rhetoric, largely read as Minister KP Sharma Oli,” said the old sphere of influence here and the anti-India sentiments, had not gone ministry in a statement. Oli is cur- Americans are looking through the down well with Delhi. rently looking after the defence portfo- Indian lens.” India’s move of including Kalapani lio as well. Before wrapping up his Even though there has been no within its borders and inauguration visit, Wei will also pay a courtesy call high-level visit from the north since of a road link via Lipulekh did more on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived damage to bilateral ties that were just will hold talks with Chief of the Nepal in Kathmandu in October last year, its getting back on track since they were Army General Purna Chandra Thapa, mission in Kathmandu was actively broken after 2015. involved in Nepali politics, espe- Analysts say Beijing’s growing cially given Chinese Ambassador influence in Kathmandu, especially Hou Yanqi’s meetings with rul- on the ruling party, had caused some ing party leaders whenever it discomfort in Delhi. was in crisis. Foreign policy watchers in Just as China appeared to be Kathmandu say India is trying to more active, Kathmandu and re-assert itself in Nepal while Beijing Delhi were in a state of car- does not want to be left behind. tographic war over the disputed Chandra Dev Bhatta, a political territories in the northwest commentator, said foreign powers ridge of the country. have always wanted to exercise their It was due to the unease caused influence in Nepal but it’s domestic by Beijing’s overtures that Delhi factors that provide them space. suddenly started making efforts >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL Officials reach Urai border point to inspect illegal trade in the area The team aims to keep in check smuggling cases, set up a border security post and inspect Chainpur-Taklakot road. BASANTA PRATAP SINGH international border. BAJHANG, NOV 28 “There’s no human settlement in the border area. That is why it is not On Friday, members of the House possible to establish a permanent bor- of Representatives and chiefs of der security post for the time being,” security agencies inspected the Urai said Bhandari.