KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) is organizing a program to commemorate late former Prime Minister and party President Girija Prasad Koirala in the capital on Thursday.

Koirala had played an important role in bringing the then rebel Maoist party into the peace process by signing a 12-point peace accord with the latter.

Five-time Prime Minister Koirala had taken a lead during the second people’s movement in 2006 to overthrow the monarchy.

Koirala was born on July 1, 1924 as the youngest son to his father Krishna Prasad Koirala and mother Dibya Koirala in Tedi village of Saharasa district in Bihar State of India.

NC leader Sujata Koirala is the only one daughter of Koirala.

Historic Biratnagar Jute Mill Strike in 1947 had taken place under the leadership of Koirala. He had become the Morang district president of Nepali Congress from 1951 to 1960.

He had become general secretary from 2031 to 2047 BS. Then he continued leading the NC as president from 2053 BS until he passed away on  February 19, 2010.

OTTAWA/TORONTO: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remained under pressure over a corruption scandal on Wednesday as a legislator quit his party’s caucus and a pre-election budget aimed at swaying key voters appeared to offer too little to stem the tide of negative news.

The budget – the last before federal elections in October – lavished new spending on middle-class voters but ignored corporations. It also provided a little for key groups such as millennial voters who backed Trudeau in droves in Canada’s 2015 election.

The decision by a legislator, who had defended a former minister at the center of a political scandal, to quit the ruling Liberal Party and sit as an independent dealt a fresh blow to Trudeau’s embattled government.

Trudeau has been on the defensive since Feb. 7 over allegations top officials working for him leaned on the then justice minister to ensure construction firm SNC-Lavalin Group Inc avoided a corruption trial.

The political crisis threatens the government’s chances of re-election. Polls have shown that Trudeau’s Liberals could lose the vote as the damage from the scandal spreads.

The latest defection overshadowed Tuesday’s budget which divided money between a large number of new initiatives and left few Canadians satisfied.

“It’s just too broad,” said Norman Levine, managing director at Portfolio Management Corporation. “They wanted to please lots of people and … when you try to please everybody you end up pleasing nobody, because you spread it too thin.”

Rob Edel, chief investment officer at Nicola Wealth Management, noted the government did not commit to reducing a budget deficit that is much larger than the Liberals promised. This was “a political rather than an economic decision,” he said.

The Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada as well as the Canadian Chamber of Commerce complained about the lack of tax reform. But the center-left Liberals may not care too much as their core supporters are progressive thinkers, women and younger voters. Finance Minister Bill Morneau stressed budget measures to help first-time home buyers, including allowing people to withdraw up to C$35,000 from a retirement savings account.

But asked on Wednesday how many younger first-time buyers actually had that much money available, he replied “that will help some people in the middle income range … not everyone, for sure.”

The main opposition Conservative Party has relentlessly attacked Trudeau over the SNC-Lavalin affair and described the budget as a bribe. Conservative leader Andrew Scheer has continuously demanded Trudeau’s resignation, which some Conservatives privately worry is the wrong approach.

Two strategists with deep ties to the party said given the complexity of the affair, and former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould’s statement that no one involved had broken any laws, Canadians would not necessarily agree that Trudeau should quit now.

Conservative over-confidence or missteps could be the Liberals’ best hope for reversing their slumping poll numbers, pollster Nick Nanos said.

On Tuesday, opposition lawmakers delayed Morneau’s budget presentation for an hour.

Conservatives initially drowned out his speech in the House of Commons with shouts and jeers and then walked out en masse, a tactic that did not sit well with some Canadians on social media.

(Reuters)

Several ups and downs have come and gone by in the political spectrum of Nepal over the last few decades. Currently, the Nepal Communist Party (CPN) is leading the current government. People are uncertain about the future political course and the fate of the incumbent government. Will it address the aspirations of the Nepali people, while maintaining ties with the international community? Recently, Khabarhub talked to Mohan Bikram Singh, general secretary of Communist Party of Nepal (Mashal), for his views. Excerpts:

Currently, Nepal has a communist government. You witnessed governments led by various political parties including Nepali Congress and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) in the past. How do you see its future political course as an ardent pillar of the communist movement?

The ruling Nepal Communist Party has already deviated from the core communist norms and values. If someone believes that the current government is a communist government, or being run under communist ideals, he/she is wrong. Hence, it would be wrong to judge its success and failures under the parameters of the communist ideology.

The role and the working style of the NCP are not in favor of development, republic, prosperity, national independence, and democracy. If this continues, the country will take a regressive course.

What do you mean by regression? Is it that the monarchy will make a comeback?

We cannot absolutely negate the possibility of the monarchy’s revival. RPP is bent on reinstating the Hindu state. It has been launching several political activities to this end. Similarly, there is a big section of political leaders within the main opposition Nepali Congress advocating for the reinstatement of Hindu State. Indian ruling party BJP is also exerting pressure on the reinstatement of the Hindu State in Nepal. Independence Mahesh Alliance led by CK Raut, which has recently agreed to join mainstream politics, has formed Janamat Party with an objective of holding a referendum to fulfill its long-cherished agenda. By and large, there are still possibilities that the political course is likely to take regressive direction.

You said Prime Minister KP Oli-led government failed to play a constructive role. Do you attribute it to Oli’s ill intention or sheer incompetence?

Even though the intention is good, the current government is facing attacks from all sides. The international community, including the southern neighbor, does not like the policy of the Oli-led government. That is why there is a massive decrease in foreign direct investment (FDI) since Oli assumed power. As a result, the upcoming investment summit in Kathmandu is not likely to be successful.

The government has to tackle the existing grip of international companies, corrupt bureaucracy, mafias, and other regressive forces to achieve its set goals. Integrity and high level of will power are necessary to deal with such multifaceted attacks coming from all directions. But, I do not see such qualities in the government, despite having good intention.

How do you assess the Nepal Communist Party led by Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav), its latest activities, and Mohan Baidya’s faction?

Nepal Communist Party led by Netra Bikram Chand is the remainder of the Maoist party that waged a decade-long insurgency. It is an extremist party for which we have no support. It is trying to revive violence creating terror in the society, which is absolutely wrong.

As far as Mohan Bidya’s party is concerned, it is also the remains of the then Maoist party. Though it is not currently launching terrorist activities, its party-line is wrong.  We do not support it.

How’s your take on the government’s ban on Biplav outfit?

This is wrong. The constitution does not allow the government to put a ban on any political parties. Law and order should be maintained. There are various ways to deal with the Biplav issue. It can be resolved through dialogue.

KATHMANDU: Police have intensified their operation after the government put a ban on the Nepal Communist Party led by Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav).

Nepal Police headquarters, Naxal has directed its subordinate  bodies to focus operation on these areas, Nagarik daily has reported.

Police have launched a controlled delivery and undercover operation against Biplav cadres in the hills districts, where the outfit has been centering its activities. A police team led by SP Somendra Singh Rathor of Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) on Tuesday night also adopted the same method to nab two Biplav cadres in Kavre district.

KATHMANDU: Sharat Singh Bhandari has taken charge as the coordinator of the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) presidium.

Bhandari was elected as the coordinator as per the party’s provision of changing the coordinator every two months.

A meeting of the party presidium had recently decided to elect Bhandari to the post from today, according to RJPN general secretary Keshab Jha.

The party’s presidium has six members and take turns to assume the post of party coordinator.

The RJPN is holding its general convention next month to elect the party new leadership.

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress General Secretary Dr. Shashank Koirala has said his party is ready to go for a referendum to decide the fate of republic, federalism and secularism.

Speaking at a tea reception on the occasion of Holi at his residence in Tokha, Koirala said referendum would be the right way to know the people’s opinion on secularism, federalism and republicanism.

He urged one and all to put pressure on the government to hold referendum to reinstate Nepal as a Hindu state. “Let people decide on key issues,” he said adding that the state cannot neither be secular nor non-secular, but freedom to religion.

KATHMANDU: When majority of the people in Kathmandu were celebrating the Holi festival, Nepali Congress leaders, too, did not lag behind to bang on.

Leaders, including Prakash Man Singh, Dr. Shashank Koirala, Gagan Thapa and party cadres gathered to celebrate the festival smearing colors among themselves.

Seemed they enjoyed their hearts out.

KALIKOT: Nepal Army has been deployed in search of cadres of Nepal Communist Party led by Netra Bikram Chand alias Biplav, a report in Annapurna daily has said.

A troop of Nepal  Army under the command of Major Amrit Thapa Magar from Ranasur Company was deployed to arrest Biplav cadres, thereby controlling their activities.

The team has been reinforced by Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, according to the report.

Kalikot is said to a stronghold of Biplav outfit. The joint troop left the district headquarters Manma for Sannitribeni Rural Municipality, Raskot Municipality and Naraharinath Municipality in search of Biplav cadres, said NA sources.

Security personnel and cadres of Nepal Communist Party led by Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav) exchanged fire at Falame Sanghu of Roshi Rural Municipality-2 in Kavre district on Tuesday evening, leading to the arrest of two Biplav cadres.

Police have been keeping close tabs on the Biplav activities after the government banned the latter’s activities. The government took a decision to ban Biplav-led NCP following a series of explosions at Ncell towers and other public places across the country.

KATHMANDU: Security personnel and cadres of Nepal Communist Party led by Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav) have exchanged fire at Falame Sanghu of Roshi Rural Municipality-2 in Kavre district on Tuesday evening.

A police team deployed by Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD), Teku exchanged fire with  Biplav cadres in Kavre, confirmed SP Kedar Dhakal, acting chief of MPCD.

Police have claimed that they have arrested two Biplav cadres. Police have been keeping close tabs on Biplav-led NCP’s activities following a ban imposed by the government.

The government had decided to ban the Biplav’s activities following a series of explosions that took pace at Ncell towers and other public places across the country.

Police on Saturday arrested NCP’s politburo member Mohan Karki during their ‘search and arrest’operation.

SURKHET: Chairperson of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (United), Pashupati SJB Rana has alleged the government of involving in massive corruption.

Rana said that corruption has now spread to local levels as well. Speaking at a news conference at Surkhet today, Rana said that the culture of corruption has gripped the local levels.

On the occasion, Rana said people are facing problems since they are compelled to pay tax to local level, state and federal governments.