Kathmandu, Jan. 29 : CPN (UML) leader Jhalanath Khanal has said that the Maoist  movement is terrorist activity initiated by the ultraleft and the reactionaries to finish off democracy in Nepal.

He said this movement is an attack on the basic and human rights of the people.

Talking to rss, Mr Khanal said that apart from terrorism, politics has also entered the Maoist movement.

The problem has arisen also because the democratic governments formed after the change of 2046 to bring about economic, political, cultural and social balance and consolidation in the country have not been able to function properly, he said.

These governments have not been able to act in response to popular aspirations, the people have become despondent, and extremist and anti-democratic forces have taken advantage of this to confront the nation with this grave problem.

He urged the Maoists to understand that the country cannot be taken along the path of progress by killing off particular individuals or rural folks.

He stressed the need for national consensus among the responsible political parties of the country to resolve the Maoist problem.

He also called on the government to come up with an integrated and broad programme to bring this movement under control.

Pointing out that the Maoist problem cannot be tackled through administrative repression, he accused the present government of not being serious about it.

The country now feels the need for a political, economic, social and cultural package programme and widespread mobilisation is required to implement such a package effectively, he said.

The government should come up with a programme for the masses, the self confidence of the people  should be aroused, and any movement to counter the politics of violence should be based on popular mobilisation, he added.

He also said the government does not seem to be concerned about the suggestions of the cpn uml.

He said the government’s refusal to allow popularly elected local units to run programmes such as women’s awakening, Bishweshwar With the Poor and Ganesh Man Singh Peace Campaign shows its prejudice against the opposition parties.

He urged the present government not to harbor any prejudice against opponents over the question of democracy and matters of popular concern.

In Tribhuvan Nagar CPN-UML standing committee member and leader of the main opposition in the Upper House Yubraj Gyawali inaugurated the fourth district convention of the Democratic National Youth Federation (dnyf) Dang district committee here on Friday.

On the occasion, Mr. Gyawali said that the so-called “people’s war” launched by the Maoists was sheer terrorism and was a calculated ploy at undermining the multi-party system.

He said the CPN-UML did not approve of such terrorist acts and condemned it.

Deputy parliamentary opposition leader and CPN-UML standing committee member K.P. Sharma oli described as “directionless” the present political situation in the country.

Politics should have been for public welfare and it ought to have been transparent which is not the case at present, he said, adding that bureaucracy should be made impartial and corruption plugged in.

CPN-UML Rapti zonal in-charge and central member Shankar Pokharel, CPN-UML district secretary Mani Acharya, vice-chairman of Rukum District Development Committee (DDC) and central member of the dnyf Khagendra Prasad Puri also expressed their views on the occasion.

Dnyf Dang district president Shiva Kumar Thapa presided over the programme.