Dahal: Protesting for independence of Nepal

Dahal: Protesting for independence of Nepal

UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said on Wednesday that the current protests waged by the party were not meant to attain power but were aimed at safeguarding national independence.

“There have been comments of different sorts regarding our protests. I want to make it clear that our protests have been misinterpreted by the reactionary forces. Our only aim is safeguarding national independence and sovereignty,” said Dahal, speaking in response to Defence Minister Bidhya Bhandari’s remarks on the integration of the Maoist army.

“The power centre seems to have shifted from Narayanhiti to New Delhi. Now the government minister is speaking in the vein of an Indian General,” Dahal added. Justifying the need to take a stance against India, Dahal said that his party was trying to establish the relationship between two countries on the basis of equality.

“The Sugauli Treaty was signed during the time of the British. It is redundant now,” said Dahal, emphasising “It is high time that India changed its views and stopped looking at Nepal the way that British India did then.”