www.newsfront.com.np Kathmandu l 10-16 March, 2008 l # 57 l Price Rs. 25 King Gyanendra accompanied by Queen Komal driving back after offering Pooja to Pashupatinath temple on the day of Shivaratri. Bhashwor Ojha Two mistakes Party unity wrong: PM ä nf correspondent party.” Koirala made the confession when some of the senior and deserving people senior party leaders mostly from western did not get the ticket. I could not With just a month left for the polls to the Nepal who were denied tickets, called on challenge him.” Among those who met constituent assembly, Prime Minister GP him separately. him recently to express their unhappiness Koirala is giving conflicting messages Putting the entire blame for denial of included Sunil Bhandari, Yagyaraj Pathak regarding the party unity and the certain ‘deserving candidates’ on Sher and half a dozen others from the west. citizenship issue. According to senior Bahadur Deuba (who headed the Although Koirala pleaded helplessness leaders of the Congress Party, Koirala Congress-Democratic party till it was in case of senior leaders like Bhandari, has been confessing his two major united with the one led by the Prime Pathak and others, it is believed that a ‘mistakes’- one against the interest of Minister) Koirala is believed to have said, majority of the party tickets were decided democracy and another against country’s “Deuba made it a prestige issue that by the Koirala family. While Sushil Koirala sovereignty. was given a free hand to decide on his “Distributing citizenship to 24 lakh Koirala has been con- followers, PM Koirala himself accommo- people in Madhesh without any proof to fessing his two major dated some of the candidates who Sujata back-up the entitlement was a mistake as and Shekhar wanted. The candidates it will pose a threat to the national unity in ‘mistakes’- one against belonging to the Deuba faction have been the long-run,” Koirala is believed to have the interest of democracy complaining that since Koirala controls the told some senior leaders of the party at and another against purse, they are not getting money from his residence recently. The other mistake, country’s sovereignty. the party’s central office, leaving it on “was to have united the two Congress Deuba to manage funds for them. Ph:- Shop 5011685, Factory: 5555459 2 10-16 March, 2008 News No backtracking Unsafe diplomats How safe are the common people? Yadav says no to GPK A year has lapsed their visit to Jhapa by Congress party as a whole in around after the government the Young Commu- 120 constituencies in the Terai. promised fool-proof nist League. Koirala With Maoist party either absent in security to the had also personally most parts of Terai, or weak, the diplomats in the apologised to obvious advantage of the fierce country. But the Moriarty during his conflict between the MJF and the Norwegian ambas- farewell speech for Congress is likely to go to the sador was robbed, Moriarty at the Communist Party of Nepal-United and a security guard Tore Toren American Embassy Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML). wounded during an in July. A senior leader of the United armed robbery at his residence in In response to a collective Madheshi Democratic Front (UMDF) Bhainsepati early Sunday. letter of concern by most of the said the PM himself was responsible Ambassador Tore Toren was diplomatic and UN missions in for scuttling every possibility of at his residence when the armed Nepal for their safety in the wake understanding in the election. “He robbery took place, but he was of these attacks, the government denied even minimum time to the lucky to escape unharmed. The had promised to make all Yadav and Koirala Pix by Bhashwor Ojha UMDF to prepare for the polls. robbers took away a personal arrangements regarding this Moreover, Koirala showed the door to laptop of the ambassador besides issue. The YCL activists had ä nf correspondent Kathmandu from Biratnagar on Gachchedar when he put forward a Rs. 40,000 and 90 Euro. An however been let off without any March 10 sent feelers to the MJF similar proposal only last week in armed guard who put up some cases filed against them. The Madheshi Janadhikar Forum leaders that they should not cause a Baluwatar,” a Front leader said. resistance was attacked by the An official in Shital Niwas said (MJF) has declined to consider situation where pro-democracy votes Gachchedar, on behalf of the UDF, robbers, police said. what happened at the residence Prime Minister GP Koirala’s request are divided. “But the response was is believed to have suggested an The attack on the security staff of the Norwegian ambassador to withdraw its candidates in favour negative,” a family source told alliance with the Congress in about of the ambassador and robbery was a reflection of the prevailing of his daughter Sujata Koirala and newsfront. 30 seats, but Koirala was not willing at his house comes less than a law and order situation in the nephew Shekhar Koirala. PM With the prospect of the Congress to concede to anything. “UMDF year after Prime Minister GP country including the capital, and Koirala’s request was turned down declining by the day, “Koirala now decision to field formidable candidates Koirala and Foreign Affairs that, “it does not look as if it was by MJF leader Upendra Yadav and seems reconciled to the fact that he against Sujata and Shekhar Koirala Minister, Sahana Pradhan had targeting any diplomat.” The Bijay Gachchedar who are contest- may not be able to lead the govern- was a direct result of that”, the Front apologised for the attack on US robbery has received huge ing election to the constituent ment after the CA polls,” a senior leader said. “ The question of any Ambassador James Moriarty and publicity in most media in Norway assembly from Sunsari and Morang leader of the Congress who is very alliance or understanding at this Abraham Abraham, Representa- and “possibly the issue will not go against Sujata and Shekhar close to the PM said. MJF’s rebuff moment is over. I will be meeting tive of the United Nations High unnoticed by the government respectively. has not only demoralised the PM, but Koirala after I win the election,” Commission for Refugees, during there,” the official said. PM Koirala who was to return to is also posing a threat to the Gachchedar told newsfront. Breach Endorsing impunity King’s route leaked YCL guilty, but above law In what appears as a Extortion list major security breach, weeks treatment for injuries King Gyanendra’s visit to ä nf correspondent From rickshwallas to hotels and trauma that he sustained Pashupatinath and A phenomenal increase in the number of A seven party probe panel in the attack. Guheshwari temple as a tourists coming to Nepal might be good news for belonging to the ruling The all party panel had ‘commoner’ was leaked to the hotel and restaurant business as well as for alliance has concluded that been asked to go into the the media. His visit to the the rickshawallas. And the Communist Party of the attack last month on incident involving attack on temple sans usual Nepal-Maoists (CMN-M) cadres know exactly Congress leader, Dilendra Badu besides the confron- security and status got who should be included in their extortion list. As Prasad Badu in Darchula by tation between security into print in the media the sight of rickshapullers with the foreigners the Maoist cadres, was done forces and the Young with details of the route enjoying the tri-cycle ride has become increas- with the intention of murder- Communist League in and timing soon after it ingly common, the Maoists have now targeted ing him. The probe panel Kathmandu valley after was conveyed by the this low-income group of labourers as the source however, suggests that it is Minister of State for Home, Royal palace to the Prime of their revenue. Each rickshawallas in the valley for the political party RK Chaudhary, ordered the Minister’s house. have to pay Rs ten each to the comrades. concerned, and not the police to evict YCL from A source in Baluwatar But that does not fill their deep pocket. So they government to take action houses which they had confirmed that a senior have issued fresh orders to the restaurants in against the culprits. forcibly captured. palace official had Kathmandu to levy ten per cent additional The probe panel headed The probe team has not conveyed to PM Koirala on amount from the customers. This ten per cent by Shankar Pokhrel of the blamed the police for the the eve of the Shivaratri which has to be in cash, is over and above the Communist Party of Nepal- raids, and rather it maintained that the king would like to ten per cent service charge added in the bill, United Maoists Leninist that YCL and Maoist cadres go to the temple during ‘Arati’. The meant for hotel unions controlled by the Maoists. (CPN-UML) submitted its were still driven or guided by visit was planned with clearance and India, asking the Pashupati “This ten per cent is not meant for us, as a major findings along with recom- the war-time psychology. “All from the PM. “But given last year’s Area Development Trust (PADT) to part of it goes to the leaders of the hotel union mendations for actions to these clashes and attacks by attack on the king and the security manage the entire affair this time that is under Maoist control,” an employee Peace and Reconstruction the YCL are influenced by risk that he faces in the current onwards.