KATHMANDU, OCT 14 – The CPN-Maoist led by Mohan Baidya has said it will launch protests to oppose Indian investment in the hydro power sector in Nepal from next month.
The youth wing of the party, National Youth Volunteers (NYV), on Thursday said the agitation would be against Upper Karnali, Koshi High Dam and Arun III projects. The three-day national conference of the wing that concluded on Saturday decided to conduct mass gatherings against those projects from November 1 to 3.
“These projects are more in favour of India than Nepal. We will obstruct their implementation until the unequal agreement is scrapped and a fresh one is signed,” said Udaya Bahadur Chalanue, newly elected chairman of NYV. He clarified that the CPN-M is not against Indian investment in Nepal carried out under mutually beneficial terms and conditions.
In the 10-page political document presented during the conference, Maoist Secretary Netra Bikram Chand accused the Baburam Bhattarai-led government of “selling out Nepal to India”.
Instead of trying to scrap unequal treaties signed with India in the past, efforts were underway to allow India to construct Arun III and Karnali hydel projects, he said.
The hardline party has said it will continue its blockade against “arbitrary and unregulated entry” of Indian vehicles in Nepal. Earlier, this month the party had decided to allow the movement of Indian vehicles carrying essential commodities, including petroleum products.
The Maoist youth wing has announced demonstration from November 20 to 23 to expose corruption in the state owned corporations.
In the first phase, assemblies will be organised against Nepal Airlines Corporation, Bhrikuti Paper Factory, Biratnagar Jute Mill and Hetauda Garment Factory, while a name list of the persons involved in “misappropriation” will be publicised in the next phase.
“We will be forced to take step if the government does not take action against those involved in bankrupting the corporations even after their names are publicised,” added Chalaune.
The NYB said it will protest against UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai for failing to provide compensation announced for 4,008 unverified PLA combatants. It has claimed that the UCPN (Maoist) had collected hefty sum of money from all seven divisions in the past saying that it would provide Rs 100,000 as compensation to late recruits and minors who were released from cantonments in 2010.
Meanwhile, the national conference has elected a 95-member central committee with most office bearers working in the military structure of the Maoist party during the insurgency. Chalune was a division vice commander of the third division based in Shaktikhor, Chitwan.
Earlier, Secretary Chand was in-charge of the volunteer’s bureau. Ex commissar of the sixth division, Yuvaraj Acharya, and Brigade vice-commander of the Fifth Division, Sabitri Dura, who were brought in the Young Communist League (YCL) after the Maoists joined peace process, are elected as vice-chairs.
The youth wing has also formed a command structure entrusting leaders to oversee the five regions. An elected central committee leader said that besides carrying out protests, they will simultaneously work to transform the volunteers’ bureau into a military structure in the long-term.
Source : The Kathmandu Post
