Govt’s dual character on Kalapani

The present government has not shown much interest to remove the Indian soldiers from Kalapani. Though, PM Krishna Prasad Bhattarai a few days back said Kalapani belongs to Nepal and the government is committed to remove the Indian soldiers from there, but the PM’s statement that he had never known that Kalapani was in Nepal before he became prime minister, shows he sensitive the government is on the territorial integrity of the country.

There are historical proof that whenever there is Nepali Congress government in Nepal, Indian encroachment increases and Nepal has to lose at least something. Intellectuals have even begun to say that expecting the NC government to do anything in favour of Nepal in the Nepal-India issues is to forget the history completely. They have also said PM’s statement on Kalapani is only a ploy to attract popular sentiment towards the NC government. The government has not started any diplomatic initiative to resolve the Kalapani issue.

On the other hand, there are news of the Indian tradesmen and tourists going to Mansarovar in Tibet through Kalapani. The government here has not been able to say a word against India and China who are linking up for trade and tourism through Nepal without getting the permission of Nepal.

Bhattarai’s statement that he is an Indian supporter immediately after his appointment as PM, and now he being a mute spectator to the Indian encroachment on Nepali territory indicate serious threat to Nepal.

(Jan Bhawana, July 26, Monday)

 Strong reactions in the NC CWC meeting

It is learnt that strong words were expressed against some new members at the first meeting of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee meeting.

According to a source at the meeting, Shailaja Acharya, former vice president of the party and the party’s central committee member expressed strong reaction against the party’s central committee for being unbalanced, devoid of seniority and dominated by subservient characters.

It is learnt that she even demanded for the inclusion of  Laxman Prasad Ghimire, Gopal Pahadi, Rewati Prasad Bhusal and Binaydhoj Chand. She also criticised the party’s General Secretary Sushil Koirala in strong words. She even expressed concern over Sushil Koirala’s opportunistic tendency and said it was because of him that other opportunists got nominated to the central committee.

In an ireful tone she also said she  was committed to unity between the party and the government, and for that she demanded cooperation from both Bhattarai and Koirala.

The Central Committee meeting also formed a disciplinary committee and made Ms. Acharya the coordinator of the committee.

(Aajako Samacharpatra, July 31, Saturday)

 Most passports are lost only on newspapers

Almost every days notices about lost passports are printed in the newspapers. But how much truth is there in such advertisements. The concerned authority does not seem to take much interest on whether those advertisements are genuine.  According to people who know, almost three fourth of such advertisements are printed with an ill-intention. According to regulation, if anyone loses his or her passport, the notice for the same has to be published in a national-level newspaper. The applicant then with a police report, can apply for a new passport. But the  Foreign Ministry is not ready to agree that all those who applied for another passport have indeed lost it.

Secretary at the Foreign Ministry Murari Raj Sharma says he does not know how or why so many passports are lost.

Those who watch these activities from close quarters say it is all the game of the ‘passport mafia’.

These passport mafia have either overstayed in the foreign countries or they make a drama of the lost passport to gain the foreign exchange facility to go abroad frequently.

Again, one must submit the expired passport to get a new one. Many people also want to keep passport as a souvenir that they have travelled abroad, and do not want to submit their passport. Again there is not much difference to get a new passport or to renew one. The passport are valid for five years.  Again one does not have to pay the fee to get a passport for the lost one.

Many people even sell their passport to foreigners and get themselves a new one by bring out an advertisement. Most of those who buy passports are people involved in criminal activities.

The number of lost passport has increased after the District Offices are also allowed to issue the passports.

According to one Rajendra Shrestha, most of those who have lost their passport are not interested to find their passport. He says when he phoned several of those who had brought those advertisements, saying that he has found the passport, they don’t seem to care.

(Aajako Samacharpatra, July 31, Saturday)

 Import of bogus fertilizers

After the Ministry of Agriculture gave the private sector the right to import and distribute chemical fertilizers, it is said they are importing bogus fertilizers from India.

Several speakers at a seminar expressed the view that most of those fertilizers are not only sub-standard, but they are also adversely  affecting the fertility of the soil.

They also accused that the high quality fertilizers imported by the Agriculture Input Corporation from Bangladesh are being exported to India, and they are importing low-quality ones from there.

In the non-availability of the quality stuff, farmers are forced to buy the inferior fertilizer.

The participants also demanded those who are involved in the import and the distribution of second-rate fertilizer must be charged with criminal offense, and the import of such fertilizer must be banned.

They also say, after the importing right is give to the private sector, even the ‘paan (the chewing leaf) vendors are also dealing in fertilizers.

(Himalaya Times, July 31, Saturday)

 For legalising abortion

Social workers feel abortion should be legalised or it should be made more liberal to reduce maternal mortality rate or to give the women a feeling of right towards their reproductive health.

The present legal system is something like, only those who are poor and ignorant are getting brunt of the law. According to Dr. Aruna Uprety, because of the prohibition most women are forced to seek unsafe abortion. The result is that many of such patients have suffered from debilitating effect or infertile. According to statistics, 570 women die for every 100,000 child born in Nepal and every year 5,000 mothers die of pregnancy related causes. ‘Seventy per cent of women, who are infertile in Nepal, have had abortion before and most of them unsafe ones,” says Dr. Jageshwore Gautam, obstetrics and gynecologist.

According to a study of the women inmates in Nepalese jails, 20 per cent of them are there for abortion or infanticide. In contrast for men only 0.3 per cent of the male in jails are ‘in’ for cases related to abortion and infanticide.

“Until abortion is legalised, women have to bear a double punishment. Unsafe abortion endangers their lives, and if found out they are liable to legal punishment,” says Sunil Kumar Bhandari, president of Nepal Family Planning Association

However, social activists say though abortion should be legalised for cases like rape and incestuous relations,  it must not be taken as a mean of family planning. Others say in the villages where the means of family planning has not reached, women should be given rights to abort unwanted pregnancies.

According to a survey done in Kathmandu, during the period of 1992 to 1994 of the 1,241 cases of abortion, 234 were of the unwanted pregnancies.

(Gorkhapatra, August 1, Sunday)

 Congress on the verge of split

The Nepali Congress has fallen into an extraordinary crisis of confidence. Dissatisfaction has grown within the Congress circle following the reconstitution of Nepali Congress Central Executive Committee (CWC). Experienced person like Basu Risal has been dismissed and Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has been taken in only as ex-officio member of the committee.

Many NC men, who were defeated in general election, have been included into the committee. By dismissing Chiranjibi Wagle, die-hart critic of Girija Prasad Koirala, Koirala has taken the strategy of demoralising his critics. Influential leader in cabinet Khum Bahadur Khadka is being included only out of compulsion. He is the elected member to the CWC. On the other hand, junior worker like Bal Krishna Khan has been included into the committee.

The problem with Koirala is that he has angered the Bhattarai supporters, but he has not been able to please his supporters also. Koirala has included his family members like Sushil Koirala, Nona Koirala, Shailaja Acharya, Lila Koirala and Mahesh Acharya, and supporters like Govinda Raj Joshi, Arjun Narashing K.C., Kul Bahadur Gurung, Chandra Singh Bhattarai, Baldev Majgaiya, Krishna Sitoula, Laxman Ghimire, Gopal Raj Pahadi, Nara Hari Acharya, Jaya Prakash Gupta, Shiva Raj Joshi, Rewati Prasad Bhusal and Sunil Kumar Bhandari. But there is dissatisfaction in the Koirala circle on appointment of Sitoula, Bhusal, Pahadi, Bhandari and Laxman Ghimire in central committee.

This divided mentality among NC leaders has increased the possibility of the split of the Nepali Congress.

(Sarathi, Friday, July 30)

 MP’s threat to self immolate

Netra Lal Shrestha, a RPP MP from Salyan has threatened to set himself on fire inside the parliament. Last Friday speaking at the parliament on budget, he stunned everyone by asking why should this budget be set on fire.

hen our throats are under khukri, guns are pointed at our chest and there are ambushes under our feet and even the government has dug up our grave. Speaking about the budget he said, every page of the budget serves only the rich and every word of the budget serves the interests of the rich. This budget is not for the poor and the oppressed and it will not serve the aim of proportional development of the country.

(Jan Bhawana, July 26, Monday)

 Bamdev instructs

Bamdev Gautam, ML’s general secretary has instructed all his party workers to return to the villages.  Talking to 23 party workers at the party’s office he told them to remain  and work in the village, and not to come to Kathmandu unless it is an emergency.

(Jan Aastha, July 28, Wednesday)

 Love, marriage and sex

­In Kathmandu valley, 29 per cent people had sexual relation before their marriage. About 10 per cent married person have sexual relations outside their marriage. Fifty five per cent people have seen blue films and 47 per cent have read sex-related literature. Four per cent have more than one intercourse in a single day. Fourteen per cent have once a day, 39 per cent do it at a few days interval and 15 per cent have once a week and 20 per cent have intercourse once every few weeks. These are some of the facts derived from a study conducted for Himal by Interdisciplinary Analysts. In a sample survey of 536 people of age group of 16 to 70 were included in the study. The numbers of male and female were nearly same.

(Himal, August 1-15)

 Is Godavari agreement violated ?

There are signs that the Godavari agreement done one and half years back by Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala and Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has been broken. The agreement was done with an intention of making Nepali Congress winner in the election.

It the agreement, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai was accepted as the would be prime minister for the period of five years and party President Girija Prasad Koirala would continuously support him. For this, it was agreed that balance between their supporters would be maintained. But the reconstitution of the central committee shows that the agreement has been broken. However, Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has said anything that the agreement has been broken.

(Asan Bazar, Saturday, July 31)

 Where are MP’s red passports ?

Nepalese MPs became infamous within the country and outside due to misuse of their diplomatic passports (red passport). The image of the political parties’ was also badly shattered. Several sitting MPs of Nepali Congress and UML were denied ticked in election because of they were found to have misused their red passports. The Congress party even took other actions against two other its MPs. Even three months have not been completed of the election, some MPs have been found involved in the misuse of diplomatic passports. According to an unconfirmed news, some news MPs of Nepali Congress have sent people abroad by misusing their red passports.

There is even rumour that 25 MPs of the Nepali Congress, UML, RPP, and palace-nominated MPs of the Upper House have misused their diplomatic passports. Now, the question is where are the red passports of the MPs, who were defeated in the general elections?

(Asan Bazar, Saturday, July 31)

 Campaign to throw out Koirala

It is a misfortune of the Nepali Congress, which garnered a majority in House of Representatives, that the party President Girija and Prime Minister Bhattarai have followed the path of ‘conflict’ instead of ‘co-operation’.       Prime Minister Bhattarai neglected President Koirala while forming the government. The same way, President Koirala ignored Bhattarai when he reconstituted the central committee of the party. No senior leaders of the Bhattarai side has been included in committee.

Meanwhile, a meeting held in the resident of Sher Bahadur Deuba has decided to make Deuba victorious the party president in the next party convention and Bhattarai would support him. Similarly, it was also agreed that Bhattarai will get Deuba’s support Bhattarai.

(Saptahik Janasatta, Saturday, July 31)

 Thapa’s leadership challenged

The RPP is in doldrums after the party’s president Surya Bahadur Thapa made the changes in departments and committees of the party. Thapa has put other leaders in trouble giving them several responsibilities. Thapa is in a mood of taking acting against any leader, who does not follow his orders. The sacking of Dr. Yadav Prasad Pant, is a proof of this. Meanwhile, other leaders are not liking Thapa’s way of functioning. They are now challenging Thapa’s leadership in the party.

(Saptahik Janasatta, Saturday, July31)

 Civil servants to agitate

The MPs’ increase their salary in every session. The Minister’s salary increment is also uncontrollable.

  Recently, when the government increased the perks of the ministers, why the salary of civil servants was not increased? This is the question the civil servants have been asked the government.

Nepal Civil Servants’ Association, which had launched a long agitation against the sacking of temporary staff by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, seven years back, has now started agitation against Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai.

The Organisation has called for the increase of salary of the civil servants in par with the price index.

  They have also asked the withdrawal of the word corrupt used by Finance Minister in his budget speech. To give pressure to the government, the organisation also plans to present signatures of 50,000 civil servants to Prime Minister Bhattarai within this month. The organisation has already started collecting the signatures.

(Saptahik Janasatta, Saturday, July 31)

 General assembly will evaluate government’s performance

  The meeting of newly constituted central committee meeting of the Nepali Congress was held yesterday. Earlier it was expected that the meeting would push the government into a corner. But nothing like that happened. Rather the meeting decided to give continuity to the government for five years. Though that was the official decision of the meeting, but the environment of the meeting was less comfortable for the government. The committee members strongly criticised the government but in a positive way.

  If President Koirala had wished, the meeting could have formally criticise the government. In the meeting he said, “As even the opposition gives 100 days to a new government we should give at least 200 days.” Koirala stressed for co-ordination rather than confrontation with the government. PM Bhattarai too stressed for co-ordination between the party and the government.

(Gatibidhi, Saturday, July 31)

 Gorkhali army never fights against Hindu

Indian Ambassador to Nepal K.V. Rajan talking to Gatibidhi has assured that Kalapani issue will be solved. He confirmed that Indian Foreign Minister will be visiting Nepal shortly.

He further revealed that the main objective of the visit will be the formal inauguration and the handing over of the B.P. Memorial Hospital to the Nepalese.

He further said Gorkhali army fought in Kargil as per the tri-partite agreement of 1947 and the agreement prohibits using Gorkhali army against Hindu and unarmed mass. The Gorkhalis did not fight against the Hindus, he said and so the agreement was not broken.

(Gatibidhi, Saturday, July 31)

Arms in Prachanda’s district

Maoists activities have been increasing in Kaski district, the birth place of Nepal Communist Party General Secretary Puspa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda).

Police has seized a huge cache of arms in a jungle in Thumki VDC of Kaski district.

(Sarathi, Friday, July 30)

 Chief justice says

Chief Justice Mohan Prasad Sharma has said that the court could do nothing to stop the lawyers from resorting to strike. Sharma was talking to BBC on the proposed strike by lawyers.

The lawyers of the country have planned for a pen down strike next week to oppose corruption in justice sector. The strike has been called by Nepal Bar Association.

(Sarathi, Friday, July 30)

 Channel war in Janakpur

There are three cinema halls in Janakpurdham and all are running in house full. Besides, two cinema halls are under construction and one is open shortly. With a total population of 40-50 thousands, the people of Janakpur clearly show their inclination towards entertainment.Despite these halls, there are two cable networks in operation. The number of subscriber has been increasing day by day. It is estimated there are about 5,000 television sets in Janakpur and it is assumed that one television is watched by five people. It means, 10,000 to 15,000 audience regularly watch television programmes. Cables lines are distributed to 2,000-3,000 people. They collect Rs. 300,000 to Rs. 500,000 every monthly. Earlier, the programmes were not clearly received, there are fewer channels. The situation has changed after a new cable network came into operation. Not only the price has come down, the service has also improved. This has escalated the channel war.

(Saptahik, Friday, July 30)

 UML leaders fighting publicly

The conflict within the UML, which emerged following the whip to vote the palace nominee MP Ramesh Nath Pandey in the National Assembly Chairman election, has escalated further.

The conflict within Nepali Congress has raised the question the ability of the party Secretary General Madhav Kumar Nepal to lead the party. The benefit of the conflict could be reaped by the Standing Committee member KP Oli. Some say Oli’s hold on the party has been increasing.

The struggle for power, envisaged by many following the death of UML President Man Mohan Adhikary is gradually taking shape.

(Khabarkagaj, Thursday, July 29)

 Another nominated MP for NA chairman?

The post of chairman of the National Assembly is still vacant as no candidates secured majority in the earlier election. Meanwhile, another palace-nominated MP Janardan Acharya has started secret contacts with MPs of the political parties to secure the post.

(Khabarkagaj, Thursday, July 29)

 Maoists plans new strategy

The under-ground party, Nepal Communist Party (Maoists) is to launch new programmes to challenge the government. Now, party Secretary General Prachand will give war training while Dr. Baburam Bhattarai will teach philosophy, it is learnt from a high level source in the Maoists party.

(Khabarkagaj, Thursday, July 29)

 Indian barrier in two points of Ilam

Since time immemorial Nepal-India border was open and citizens from Nepal and India were allowed to move from one country to another. But, in last couples of day, Indian police has imposed the provision of entry permit to enter India at two points in Ilam.

(Khabarkagaj, Thursday, July 29)

 CRIME Passport gold robbery

In case of robbery in Thahity, Kathmandu, police are now ready to arrest the shop owner Sudan Shakya. The police found three fake passports during their investigation of Shakya’s house.

It is suspected that Shakya was involved in gold smuggling. Prior to this, police had seized 9,650 US dollars from looters, which they said belonged to Shakya.

(Sarathi, Friday, July 30)