Speaking to journalists in Dhangadhi on Tuesday, Dahal said the government has been terrorized by the formation of the HLPM. [break]
Dahal said, "It is wrong to say that the PM should be in the political mechanism. It is the issue of government formation that has caused the political deadlock. So, why should he (PM) be there when his party chairman is already included?"
He also said, "Why is the government terrorized? This mechanism is not to change the government but has been formed with a clear aim of ending the current deadlock, writing the constitution and concluding the peace process."
Stating that once the HLPM is fully active the current problems will be resolved, he said the European Union and the United Nations have already expressed support for the mechanism. He added that he feels assured India too will extend support.
Dahal said that the Maoists will not budge unless the issue of national independence raised by their party is addressed.
Dahal said that after visiting the Brahmadev border area he is convinced there has been encroachment. "When I stepped out there (Brahmadev), looked around and spoke to people, I found that India has encroached on our land," Dahal said, adding, "But this is not an issue of the border alone; it is a matter of territorial integrity, sovereignty, self-respect and independence."
Dahal, who visited the Kanchanpur border area Monday, held an interaction with businessmen and industrialists Tuesday. He also gave an orientation to party cadres. A participant told myrepublica.com that Dahal said the issues of national independence and civilian supremacy must go in parallel.
During the interaction with industrialists, President of Kailali Chamber of Commerce Dinesh Bhandari requested Dahal not to call bandas and strikes. Bhandari said that the Far-Western Region has to incur a loss of up to Rs 200 million a day during a banda and some 30,000 laborers go without their next meal.
In response, Dahal told the industrialists that calling bandas was a compulsion. He committed himself to stopping the bandas once the political problems are resolved, a participant told myrepublica.com.
Related story
Settlements in Sunsari terrorized by monkeys
