A senior Maoist leader has accused the Nepali Congress (NC) of violating the understanding by putting forth conditions for cooperation.

Referring to seven conditions put forth by the NC Central Working Committee for lending support to Maoists, Minister for Information and Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara has told Kantipur Television that the NC had violated pact with it.

“The NC has flouted the agreement by raising such conditions for cooperation,” he said, pointing at the demand of dissolution of Young Communist League (YCL) and other similar parallel outfits of the Maoists.

The NC had also demanded that weapons belonging to Maoist combatants be surrendered. The party has asked the Maoists to guarantee to keep judiciary, army, police and other institutions at bay – away from any kind of interference. It has said that only on such conditions will it extend its cooperation to Maoists in the formation of the government.

“Issues like dissolution of our army are a part of the entire peace process. The election itself is a part of that process. It was not appropriate to raise such conditions,” Mahara said.

He also urged the NC to become ‘democratic,’ by shedding off ‘autocratic’ elements. nepalnews.com sd May 13 08