Anti-India rhetoric intensifies in Nepal

Ahead of a key party meet, Nepal's Maoists have stepped up their anti-India campaign demanding an end to alleged 'intervention' in their country and abolition of all "unequal" treaties.

"Stop Indian-intervention in Nepal and abolish all the unequal treaties including Nepal-India Friendship Treaty of 1950," reads a wall painting made by the UCPN-Maoist ahead of their much talked about plenum in Palungtar of Gorkha district in western Nepal, to be attended by hundreds of Maoist leaders and cadres on November 21.

The Maoists have also been blaming India for its inability to help form a government under its leadership despite the resignation tendered by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal five months ago.

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Last month, the Maoists had misbehaved with Indian ambassador Rakesh Sood in north-East Nepal's Solukhumbu district where he visited to construct various development projects under Indian assistance.

India has also lodged its concern with the government of Nepal regarding the Maoists providing training to Naxalites within its territory, which have been denied by the Maoists.

The Maoists are making grand preparations for its extended meeting to be held in Gorkha district next week.

Ruling parties the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML and civil society members have criticised the Maoists plan to allow their People's Liberation Army commanders to participate in the plenum saying that it would violate the peace accord.

The participation of the Maoists' army personnel in the meeting will challenge the existence of the peace accord, said Nepali Congress leader and Minister for Energy Prakash Sharan Mahat.

The participation of some 1,400 PLA members in the meeting violates the Comprehensive Peace Accord, says senior journalist Pralhad Rijal.

Around 70 straw made hamlets have been constructed to accommodate some 6,000 Maoist cadres who are taking part in the grand meeting.

The Maoists have allocated around Rs.30 million for the event. Accommodation, food and drinking water and toilet facilities have been arranged for the plenum.

Maoist chair Prachanda, first vice chairman and hardliner leader Mohan Vaidya Kiran and second vice president and soft-liner leader Baburam Bhattarai are presenting three separate documents during their extended central body meeting.

Vaidya's political paper stresses the need for launching people's revolution immediately with a view to capturing power, whereas Baburam's paper talks about institutionalizing the democratic achievements including multiparty democracy and federal republican system and to go through election procedure instead of organising a revolt.

However, Prachanda stresses on completing the peace process and army integration and to opt for people's revolution only as an alternative means to attain power.

The leaders trio are currently busy to canvass the cadres in their favour during the plenum and to get their ideology endorsed from the meeting.