Rich tributes paid to martyrs
Koirala, Bhattarai recall sacrifices of martyrs for democratic innovation

Kathmandu, Sept. 29 (RSS): Former prime minister and Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala paid honours to four martyrs Lilanath Dahal, Thagiraj Dahal, Gokarna Karki and Khagendra Dahal who laid down their lives in course of democratic movements.

The then government had arrested these freedom fighters, residents of Okhaldhunga, on the same day on the charge of possessing bombs in course of the democratic movement in 1974. They were shot to death under the pretext of jail transfer.

Koirala, on the occasion, honoured Yashoda Dahal, wife of Lila Nath Dahal, Parvati Dahal, wife of Thagiraj Dahal, Prithvi Bahadur Karki, father of Gokarna Karki and Phanindra Dahal, younger brother of Khagendra Dahal by presenting letters of honour and by wrapping shawls around them.

Stating that nobody can wipe out the history of Okhaldhunga which has given birth to such martyrs, Koirala said Okhaldhunga has played a great role both in the restoration as well as protection of democracy in the country.

Noting that plans of those who are restless to subvert democracy will never be successful, the NC president observed that as the present constitution is a result of people’s struggles and sacrifices and every letter of it reflects their feelings, the Congress Party under no circumstances will compromise with the Maoists on the irreversible provisions in the constitution.

At a time when attempts are being made to finish off the very identity of Nepal, the time has come for the Congress Party to come up with clear perspectives, said the NC chief adding, it is necessary for all democrats who fought for restoration of democracy in the country to come together for safeguarding democracy.

Stating that the Nepali Congress since its very inception has taken stance in favour of constitutional Monarchy, Koirala made it clear that his party will never accept a republic.

MP Gopal Rai, from the chair, said because of the growing Maoist activity in Okhaldhunga district, people are afraid of going back to their villages even on the occasion of Dashain.

MP Bal Bahadur Rai observed that honouring martyrs’ families is just like honouring martyrs.

Various other speakers including MP Homnath Dahal, families of the martyrs and member-secretary of the Social Welfare Council Dr Tika Pokhrel also spoke at the function.

The programme was organised by the Okhaldhunga Hatemalo Samaj.

Meanwhile, ex-prime minister and NC leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has alerted all against the conspiracy of some elements which are out to finish off democracy and the Nepali Congress.

NC leader Bhattarai was speaking at a colloquium on "The sacrifices of martyrs and the present political situation" organised by the Martyrs Memorial Foundation in commemoration of the day (Asoj, 2031) when Lilanath Dahal, Thagirah Dahal, Khagendra Dahal and Gokarna Karki attained martyrdom in course of the struggle for restoration of democracy.

He said that as multi-party democratic system is the best of the ruling systems in the world efforts should be made to make people feel positive change in their lives and society.

He also stressed the need to conduct research in the lives and works of the four martyrs who were murdered by the despotic Rana rulers.

Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Gopalman Shrestha said as the present democratic set up has paved the way for all to come to power by winning the trust of the people, the Maoists should direct their effort towards coming to power through election.

NC central member Narahari Acharya shed light on the difference between terrorism and revolution and described the movement currently launched by the Maoists by trampling the sentiments of the people as a form of violent activity.

From the chair, foundation president and ex-minister Dhundiraj Shastri stressed the need for the Nepali Congress to translate its principles of democratic socialism into practice so as to provide relief to the people.

Interaction on proposed penal code held

Kathmandu, Sept. 29 (RSS): A Penal Code and Criminal Procedures Code-2001 has been drafted with the objective of defining all kinds of harmful acts and conducts in society as guilt, and punishing the guilty and providing appropriate compensation to the victims.

The code is drafted by the Criminal Justice Administration Study and Recommendations Task Force constituted last year by His Majesty’s Government. It has for the first time defined some new types of guilt as crime.

Various crimes that are against public interest, ethics and good conduct including abduction, hostage taking, sexual misconduct, paedophilia and encroachment on natural heritage have been clearly defined as crime and punishments specified in the draft code.

The draft also recommends a provision under which the court can provide compensation for the trauma caused by any damage to life, property or prestige of any person.

Likewise, the task force has proposed new provisions proscribing the withdrawal of legal cases of certain natures and requiring the fulfilment of specific procedures even for withdrawal of cases.

An interaction programme was organised here today to hold discussion between concerning experts and collect inputs for the proposed code.

Inaugurating the programme, Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya made it clear that the main objective of the Criminal Justice Administration is to ensure that innocent people do not get punished, culprits do not go scot free and victims feel that they get justice.

Attorney General and convenor of the proposed code enforcement committee Badri Bahadur Karki said that development of new techniques of crimes has been a challenge especially to the Criminal Justice Administration.

Secretary at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Udaya Nepali Shrestha, Secretary of the Judicial Council Kashiraj Dahal and Additional IGP Shyam Bhakta Thapa and other speakers also shed light on crimes and legal provisions.

ML does not subscribe to Maoists’ concepts: Bamdev

Lalitpur, Sept. 29 (RSS):CPN-ML General Secretary Bamdev Gautam has said that his party is opposed to the Maoists’ demand for scrapping the present constitution.

At an interaction programme on "CPN-ML in the present context" hosted by the Professional and Intellectual Department of the party here today, he said that as the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 promulgated following the people’s movement is in the interest of the king, the leftists, the Nepali Congress and the people in general, its abrogation is not necessary. However, it needs to further updated for larger interest of the people.

He noted that his party is not in favour of a constituent assembly but will have no objection if the Maoists are included in an interim government.

Stating that the CPN-ML does not subscribe to the Maoists’ concept of republic he wondered how the Maoists can talk of institutional development of republic when it is not even in existence.

Party Standing Committee member Radhakrishna Mainali expressed the view that the all-party meeting held in connection with the government-Maoists peace talks might help reach a national consensus on the Maoist issue.

Head of the Department of Professional and Intellectuals, Kamal Chaulagai, said that the programme was organised with the objective of highlighting the party’s views on left unity, all-party meeting, dialogue between the government and the Maoists and the international political landscape.

Standing committee members of the party Siddhilal Singh and Trilochan Dhakal also expressed their views on the occasion.

Unite against extortion, Minister urges traders

Kathmandu, Sept. 29 (RSS): Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Gopal Man Shrestha has said that drastic changes have taken place in the trade sector after the restoration of democracy in the country.

Inaugurating the 9th general meeting of the Suraj Arcade Trade Association here today, Minister Shrestha said that the businessmen should not give donations to the Maoists secretly. If the Maoists forcefully seek donations, the government should be informed about it, he added.

Shrestha urged the businessmen to increase production of garments, carpets and pashmina shawls, and to conduct foreign goods business smoothly in order to contribute the development of business sector in Nepal.

Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolis Keshav Sthapit protested against the Maoist intervention in business sector. He urged all the businessmen to unite and encounter this problem.

President of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce Rajesh Kaji Shrestha said that the rights of the small businessmen should be protected by the tax policy introduced by the government.

Stating that the businessmen should not oppose all the steps taken by the government, Shrestha said that the government should consult the businessmen while formulating economic policies.

At the function chaired by president of the Suraj Arcade Trade Association Parshuram Shrestha, chief district officer Tulasi Prasad Bhattarai, Dr. Jyoti Sherchan, Govinda Giri and others also expressed their views.

Woman missing in landslide

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Biratnagar, Sept. 29: A 29-year-old woman has been missing in a landslide that took place in Sotang Village Development Committee (VDC) of Solukhumbu district on Friday. The landslide also destroyed 53 houses and 850 heads of cattle were swept away by the slide. The details of the destruction to the lives and properties are still to come, said the Eastern Regional Police Office.

The police said the landslide occurred in Ward No. 1,2 and 3 of the VDC due to the heavy downpour of the last two days.

Bidur Karki of Police Newsroom, said that police personnel from Nela Police Post, which is situated near the village, have been carrying out rescue operations. The police source also said some other persons could also be missing in the landslide.

Koirala stresses spiritual values in politics

Kathmandu, Sept. 29 (RSS): NC president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has stressed the need for all to adopt spiritualism in order to free oneself from violence, murder, terror and unrest increasing in the world.

Koirala made this remark at a felicitation programme jointly organised by the Jain Swetamber Terpanthi Sabha, Terapanthi Mahila Mandal, Terapanth Yubak Parishad and Jain Mahila Mandal on the occasion of Paryushan Mahaparbha, the great festival of the Jains here today.

Koirala said that materialism and spiritualism should be given importance in politics to end the atmosphere of confusion and uncertainty prevailing in the country.

Fasting has enormous power which should be properly utilised in creative works, he said, adding that there are many examples of this power being used by political parties and leaders for the attainment of democracy and welfare of the country.

On the occasion NC president and former prime minister Koirala felicitated Mrs Sashi Chhajeda, who fasted for 45 days for generating spiritual awareness, by wrapping her with a shawl and presenting a letter of commendation.

Speaker of the Nepali Dharma Sansad Jaya Prakash said that "Tapasya, Brat and Upavas" plays a important role in Sanatan Hindu Dharma.

Sambhu Karan Chhajed, outgoing president of Nepal Jain Parishad Omprakash Naulakha, president of Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Niketan Tolaram Dugad, chairpersons of Terapanth Mahila Mandal Mrs Santosh Begani, convenor of Swetamber Murti Pujak Jain Samaj Kunwar Lal Golchha and others said that "Tapasya" (holy meditation) is a means for attaining salvation in Vedic Sanatan Hindu Dharma.

Ealier a religious procession was organised from Jain building located at Kamal Pokhari.

One-party rule in any guises unacceptable: Nepal

Kathmandu, Sept. 29 (RSS): CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that no matter whether it may be in the guise of democracy, socialism, Marxism, Maoism or any other ism, single-party tyranny should never be allowed to raise its head in the country.

CPN-UML General Secretary Nepal, who was inaugurating an interaction programme on "The government-Maoists peace talks and people’s desire" organised by martyr Lakhan Thapa Memorial Foundation here today, said authoritarian behaviour of any kind meted out in the name of democracy also will not be acceptable.

Stating that pragmatic commitment to principles would help do away with various anomalies in the country, Nepal said it is a progressive change that the Nepalese people are aspiring for.

The conflict in the country should be managed from within the country; foreigners should not be allowed to interfere, he said.

On the occasion, the CPN-UML general secretary felicitated Shubha Kumari Thapa and Shakun Thapa, the so far known descendants of the country’s first martyr Lakhan Thapa, who are now living in Darjeeling, India.

MP Balaram Gharti Magar stressed the need to put a full stop to the violence and terror being perpetrated by the Maoists.

President of Nepal Magar Association Gore Bahadur Khapangi and Prof. Ballav Mani Dahal highlighted the life and personality of martyr Lakhan Thapa and stressed the need to identify the descendants of the martyr.

From the chair, Foundation president B.K. Rana presented a working paper on "Government-Maoists peace talks".

Foundation treasurer Ram Thapa and lecturer Pabitra Thapa also expressed their views.

Likewise CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has called upon his party cadres to thwart the conspiracy of the extreme leftists and the revivalists who are pushing the country towards destruction so as to protect the national sovereignty.

General secretary Nepal was speaking at a day-long training programme organised by the CPN-UML Central Liaison Department for the party’s liaison forum workers from across the country here today.

At the training programme, standing committee members Bharat Mohan Adhikari and Ishwar Pokharel lectured on the extreme left deviation, the decisions of the party central committee’s 22nd meeting and ideological campaign.

Head of the Central Liaison Department Ashtalaxmi Shakya presided.

RPP emphasizes solidarity against terrorism

Kathmandu, Sept. 29 (RSS): The Rastriya Prajatantra Party has in a press statement today said that the party has taken as highly positive world opinion and solidarity being built against terrorism in the wake of the horrendous attacks on Sept 11 in New York and Washington of the United States of America.

Speaking of the need to root out terrorism in any form or situation from the world, the party noted that the world community should be cautious as terrorism has shown its ugly head as a major threat to democracy and freedom.

Extending support to the commitments expressed by His Majesty’s Government to worldwide campaign initiated by the USA against terrorism, the RPP emphasised that the solidarity and preliminary actions against terrorism should not be taken as an act of revenge and attention should be given to see to it that community harmony should not be disturbed, attacks should not be made against the innocent people and fundamental rights of the people should not be restricted in the name of curbing terrorism.

His Majesty’s Government should make efforts to institutionalise effectively the actions aimed against terrorism, the statement stated.

His Majesty’s Government should pay attention to activating regional and world institutions, and agreements and conventions against terrorism, the statement said, adding that the comments recently made by the Indian Minister of External Affairs have contributed to removing the confusion.

The statement was signed by party president Surya Bahadur Thapa.

Nepal can tap tea, tourism market: Peterson

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept. 29:With a view to disseminate information about new theories of marketing management in the rapidly changing world economy, Kathmandu University, School of Management (KUSOM) - a pioneer university in the private sector organised an interaction programme here today.

Speaking at the programme Prof. Robin Peterson said that Nepal could reap much benefit if it accords top priorities on tea and tourism industry. However, various things have to be taken into consideration to gain maximum benefit out of them. Art of marketing is very essential and it is not static too. It often changes dramatically, sometimes slowly and frequently in ways that are difficult to predict. Those businesses, which are able to detect and predict changes, are in a superior position to prosper and grow. Firms such as Microsoft have used marketing as a recipe for success, said Peterson.

Marketing is becoming present everywhere. It can be found in all societies because all are desire of taking advantage of its promises, he added.

Peterson who is also visiting senior Fulbright Professor noted that there could be some variation of strategies.

Bijay K.C. Dean of KUSOM highlighted the objectives of the talk programme. Registrar of Kathmandu University (KU) Sitaram Adhikari had chaired the function.