Dr Bhattarai was commenting on looming political threats from the rightists who have upped the ante in Nepal following the demise of Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala. [break]
“Reactionary elements have raised their head. So there is a possibility that the Maoist People´s War, which had already reached the finals, may revert to the semi-final, though we don´t want that to happen,” said Dr Bhattarai while launching the book “The Final Days of the People´s War” written by Janadesh Weekly editor Manarishi Dhital. Bhattarai was of the opinion that the Maoists would rather go back to war than compromise on the agenda of republicanism, federalism and secularism.
While arguing that the country is undergoing an intense tussle between revolutionaries and the anti-revolutionaries, he said his party would again wage an insurgency if republicanism, federalism and secularism cannot be institutionalized due to conspiracy by the rightists.
He also termed the statement of former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai as un-saintly. “He has given a negative image to sainthood,” said Dr Bhattarai.
He applauded the role of the late Girija Prasad Koirala. “You may think we praised him a bit more than necessary. But he was a man from another political pole who understood well the politics of power and the role of arms in politics” he said.
According to him, Koirala had told the Maoists to step up military activity even during the People´s War. “The mass movement in 2006 succeeded only on the back of military struggle,” he said, adding, “That´s the reason why it was written into the 12-point agreement that the parliamentary parties and the Maoists would do their best from their respective places,” he said.
He said, "There are attempts to disarm the Maoist People´s Liberation Army (PLA), which fought for a republican setup in the country, and make the Nepal Army that fought to safeguard monarchy the national army".
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