Govt should hold peace talks with Maoists: Dhungana

Itahari, Jan. 7 (RSS): Former speaker Daman Nath Dhungana has said that His Majesty's Government should hold peace talks with the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to end violence in the country and to establish a system of democratic good-governance.

Speaking to journalists at a press interaction programme in Dharan on Saturday, former speaker Dhungana said he was not in favour of constitutional amendment or change, but would prefer a review of the constitutional exercise through the formation of an all-party mechanism.

While the people are abiding by the norms and values of democracy, leaders themselves have not been able to be guided by the democratic ideals, the former speaker said, adding that the present struggle going on within the Nepali Congress was only a struggle for power rather than reformative measure.

Ex-foreign minister Shailendra Kumar Upadhyaya said the failure to implement the recommendations of the Mallik Commission constituted in the interim period immediately after the restoration of democracy was one of the reasons why there were growing anomalies and distortions in the country.

The attitude of the leaders, not the people, is to blame for the emergence of such a state of lawlesseness and normlessness in the country, he charged and expressed the belief that the situation would improve by itselt if the leaders become loyal and responsible towards the people.