Addressing the opening ceremony of the First PLA National Games organized at Dasharath Stadium to mark the 15th anniversary of the “People´s War”, Dahal said, “The government knowingly foiled some of the events.” [break]
The Maoist chairman said such sporting events help people forget the bitter realities of the past. “But why are they hell-bent on foiling such events,” questioned Dahal. He, however, did not blame the security agencies for non-participation. “The police and the army are not at fault. It is the fault of those at the helm,” he said.
The Maoist chairman also recalled the row between then Maoist-led government and the Nepal Army (NA) over the participation of PLA sports teams in the Fifth National Games last year. The NA had boycotted some of the events protesting the “backdoor entry of the PLA teams in the Games.
Claiming that conspiracies were being hatched to thwart the peace process, he said the process cannot be jeopardized “just because the Maoist-led government took action against then army chief”.
The Maoist chairman pinned hopes on the High Level Political Mechanism to end the deadlock and complete the peace process. He, however, warned that his party would launch massive protests if others continued to conspire against the peace and constitution writing process.
The Communist Party of Nepal -- then an underground outfit -- had launched the "people´s war" on 13 February, 1996 with the aim to “establish a people´s regime.
The rebels had overrun three police posts in Holeri of Rolpa district, Athbiskot of Rukum and Sindhuligadhi of Sindhuli and seized a local bank in Gorkha on the first day of the “people´s war”. Five years later, the Maoists formally announced the formation of the PLA. Maoists also celebrate Feb 13 as the PLA day.
Meanwhile, some two dozen party cadres of the Matrika Yadav-led CPN-Maoist performed parades in military fatigues on the premises of party office in Janakpur. It is, however, not known if they were registered combatants.
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