Deuba denounces terrorist attack in India

Kathmandu, Oct. 4 (RSS): Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has in a message sent to Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said he was shocked to hear news of the terrorist attack at the legislative assembly of Srinagar in Jammu Kashmir.

Denouncing the terrorist attack, Prime Minister Deuba has on behalf of His Majesty's Government and the Nepali people extended heartfelt condolences to members of the bereaved families.

He has also termed the attack an attack against democratic institutions.

The Prime Minister has in his condolence message expressed solidarity with the government and people of Indian against terrorism.

UML should change for integration, says Gautam

Gulariya, Oct. 4 (RSS): CPN-ML general secretary Bamdev Gautam has said that integration between the CPN-UML and the CPN-ML was possible only if the CPN-UML corrected its views on the Mahakali treaty, Laxmanpur dam and other decisions taken at its the sixth general convention and also on India and the USA.

General secretary Gautam, addressing the party cadres of Baridya district here today, noted that actvities such as killing, terrorising, raising funds by force and compelling the people's representatives to resign were against leftist ideology.

At the programme hosted by Bardiya district committee of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), Gautam said that elections for the constitution assembly, a republic and an interim government would not materialise even if the Moists wanted these.

Culture soul of nation: Koirala

Biratnagar, Oct. 4 (RSS): Nepali Congress president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala presented "Janaki Chandraprabha Samman Puraskar" instituted by the Dahal Sewa Pratisthan to linguist and litterateur Prof Balkrishna Pokhrel Rupabashi and the "Janaki Chandraprabha Protsahan Puraskar" to senior journalist Purushottam Dahal here today.

Both awards carry a purse of 11,111 along with a citation.

Pokhrel has been given the award in recognition of four-decade long efforts to dig out the history of khas ethnic group.

On the occasion, NC chief Koirala said costumes, languages and religions are the soul of a nation.

Stating that persons who cannot know themselves cannot know others, the NC leader remarked that if the present spree of violence, killings and terrorism continue unabated our identity itself will be at peril and spoke of the need to fight against it unitedly.

Monarchy has already assumed the form of an institution and it has already taken roots in Nepali soil, he said adding, attention should be given to safeguarding it.

Noting that democracy means people's faith and this will never die down, the former Prime Minister observed that blame cannot be put on the constitution and democracy.

Koirala spoke of the need for all sections of society to contribute from their respective places to safeguard the identity of Nepal.

Awardee Pokhrel spoke of the need to first know oneself to know the family, society and the country at large, while another award recipient expressed the view that we should give continue to the works initiated by our forefathers for building our nation.

Various other speakers including vice chairman of the foundation Tika Prasad Dahal also spoke at the function chaired by chairman of the foundation Komal Prasad Sharma.

On the occasion, Koirala handed over the amount made available by various associations and organisations for the foundation.