HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Emergency move only to target terrorists: Khadka

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Dang, Dec. 18: Minister for Home and Local Development Khum Bahadur Khadka said here today that the government was doing an extensive homework to introduce some social reform programmes in the country within a few days.

"The Chairman of the National Planning Commission is chalking out programmes that the government will introduce soon," Minister Khadka told to a Press meet organised by Nepal Press Union.

Minister Khadka, came to his home district for the first time after the State of Emergency was declared in the country, made it clear that the new situation had not curtailed the people’s right to information. "The move only targets the terrorists, not the people in general."

Home Minister refuted allegations that that innocent citizens were being killed in the anti-terrorist operation by the army personnel and said the reports were baseless.

The government is fully aware that innocent people should not suffer during the Emergency period, Khadka said, adding that the government has instructed the security forces to take caution in that regard.

Home Minister Khadka is on his inspection tour of the Mid-Western and Far Western development regions to see the law and order situation there.

Khadka said the people have felt a sense of security and peace around the nook and corner of the country after the Royal Nepalese Army soldiers were mobilised for the purpose.

In a reply to a query, the Home Minister expressed the view that the government was fully satisfied with the ongoing military operation against the terrorists.

At the function, MP and Nepali Congress central member Bal Dev Sharma Majagaiya said that the State of Emergency had not affected the activities of the party. "We are handling the party’s activities smoothly and have set up regional level offices to ensure coordination between the district and the central level of the party organisation," he added.

Meanwhile, Minister Khadka, who is also a NC central member, interacted with the NC workers here today, calling upon the party’s cadres to be watchful and prudent because the terrorists were targeting them.

Seeking cooperation from all the political parties and the civil society in the fight against terrorism, Minister Khadka urged the party workers to eschew differences and move ahead unitedly to eliminate terrorism and protect democracy and the Constitution.

NC central member and MP Majagaiya said that the NC workers should extend cooperation to the security forces and administration in the period of the State of Emergency.

MPs Hriday Ram Thami, Govinda Bahadur Shah, Gehendra Giri, Gyanu KC, Krishna Kishor Ghimire and Janak Giri also attended the gathering.

Minister Khadka also met with different delegations of the party’s sister oganisations, the district’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the TU teacher’s association and journalists.

Meanwhile, according to our Bharatpur correspondent, State Minister for Home Devendra Raj Kandel said here Monday that the government had decided to buy two helicopters and other latest arms for the police to curb the Maoist terrorists’ activities.

He said the decision had been reached keeping in view the fact that Nepal Police had faced problems in its fight against the terrorists as it lacked its own helicopter and other weapons.

"We might have a tough time in our fight against the terrorists if we fail to supply the police with modern arms and continue with the same old ways of combating them," Kandel clarified the reason for the decision to buy the helicopters and weapons.

He said the declaration of the State of Emergency was a compulsion created due to the activities of the Maoists.

There has been a great relief after the government mobilised the entire security mechanism against the Maoist terrorists, said Kandel. "As our action against terrorism has dismantled many terrorists, I think three months will suffice to defeat them. However, the oppositions parties should support the government in its campaign."

State Minister Devendre Raj Kandel, answering the queries of the journalists, said the Maoist terrorists could come for peace talks only when they surrender weapons. He further said, "They should return the weapons they have looted from the security personnel and should beg pardon from the people openly."

He also informed the journalists that the Maoists who had surrendered were the simple cadres and adding that the Defence Ministry had yet to clarify about whether any Maoist leaders had been killed in encounters.

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