GP Koirala seeks India's help

As whole world is looking at Nepal for its “fast democratic transformation”, the Himalayan nation’s veteran leaders are still skeptical about the political future.

Nepal’s octogenarian leader and former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Tuesday sought New Delhi’s immediate help to “preserve” the democratic characters of the Himalayan nation.

During his meeting with visiting Indian External Affairs minister Pranab Muklherjee, Koirala said that the Maoist-led government was all out to wipe out the democratic characters of the country.

Koirala, who is also the president of Nepali Congress, told Mukherjee that the Maoists were all out to transform Nepal as a “communist nation”, and lead the country towards a path of uncertainty.

The former PM also alleged that the cadres of Maoist’s Young Communist League (YCL) have unleashed a reign of terror across the country, and have created an environment of fright.

Koirala expressed fear over Nepal’s political future, claiming that the Maoists have breached all the earlier agreements it had with the democratic political parties.

“He (Koirala) requested India to prevail upon the Maoists as it is one of the strongest democracies in the world,” Sujata Koirala, former minister, and a Central Working Committee member of Nepali Congress said.

Koirala and his Nepali Congress, which is the opposition, are also against the Maoist-led government’s initiative to integrate the politically indoctrinated People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers with Nepal Army.

Mukherjee also met Prime Minister Prachanda at his official residence on Tuesday morning. Though details of the discussion were not made public, Mukherjee said that the meeting was “productive and fruitful”.

Hira Bahadur Thapa, adviser to the PM said that the two leaders reiterated commitments to implement the 22-point agreement reached during Prachanda’s first visit to India in September this year.

Mukherjee also expressed commitment to complete the reconstruction of the Koshi breached embankments within the stipulated period, Thapa said.

During the meeting with Nepal’s Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav, Mukherjee expressed India’s commitment to resolve the border dispute between the two countries, especially with special reference to Kalapani and Susta.

Mukherjee said more than 98 percent of border between the two countries have been demarcated, and have been added in the survey maps. Both the ministers agreed to make the necessary corrections, which is likely to be made by the officials jointly.