KATHMANDU: CK Raut, who joined the mainstream politics by abandoning his secessionist movement on Friday, said Nepalis — being the children of Gautam Buddha — peace and non-violence have been in their bloods.

He labeled the 11-point signing ceremony with the government as a “win-win” situation for all. “The government and the people are the winners now,” he told a crowd at the Rastriya Sabhagriha amid applauds.

Raut, in his speech, remembered Gautam Buddha’s and Gandhi’s principles of non-violence saying, “I went to the jail more than two dozen times, my leg got fractured in police action, and I was tortured but I never retaliated,” he said while expressing his commitment to non-violent politics.

He also reminisced the situation when he and his cadres gave away flowers to the police, who baton-charged them in the course of the agitation. “I should not forget the fact that the police never fired a single round of bullet in our demonstration. I thank the police and the government for this,” Raut said.

He emphasized on ending all social anomalies prevailing in various parts of the country while cautioning all sections of the society to refrain from doing politics of violence and hatred. “It is high time that all Nepalis lived in harmony irrespective of their caste and ethnicity,” he said adding, “Let’s not give space to those elements who try to take advantage of the communal politics.”

KATHMANDU: In an unprecedented turn of events, CK Raut, a secessionist, on Friday announced that he gave up his secessionist movement, to join mainstream politics.

Raut’s movement ended with Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa on behalf of the government and Raut himself signing an 11-point agreement on Friday afternoon at Rastriya Sabhagriha.

Raut has agreed to abandon his secessionist movement and abide by the national integrity.

A PhD from Cambridge University and a computer scientist, Raut had been demanding a separate and independent Madhesh through his organization named Alliance for Independent Madhesh, which he announced its dissolution today.

Raut, as sources claimed, held one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister KP Oli at the latter’s official residence, Baluwatar, this morning. Raut was released on Thursday after the Supreme Court’s verdict.

Highly-placed party source told Khabarhub that party senior leaders Bamdev Gautam and Narayan Kaji Shrestha have serious objection over the use of language in the 10-point agreement. “The language has been used in such a way that the agreement has been made between two countries rather than a Nepali with the government,” a source said.

According to party insiders, Home Minister Thapa and Prime Minister K P Oli’s chief advisor Bishnu Rimal were involved in holding talks with Raut.

Who is CK Raut? 

CK Raut (Chandra Kant Raut), a PhD holder from Cambridge University, UK, is a formerly US-based computer scientist, author and political leader. He worked as a scientist in the USA, prior to resigning and returning to Nepal in 2011.

Raut had been demanding a separate Madhesh for the Madhesi people. Born in Mahadeva Village in the Saptari district of Nepal, he was often placed under house-arrest by the government.

He received secondary level education from a high school based in his village Katti before he went to study at Tribhuvan University and Tokyo University.

He is also the recipient of Young Nepalese Engineer Award, Mahendra Bidhya Bhusan, Kulratna Gold Medal among others.

Dr. Raut is the president and the founding member of Alliance for Independent Madhesh which was established in 2007.

On 13 September 2014, police arrested Raut for giving a speech to indigenous people, called Santhals, during their annual festival.

Similarly, on 3 January 2015, Raut was again arrested while he was giving a speech at Jutwa College. Scores of supporters and police personnel were injured in a clash that ensued following his arrest.

Unofficial translation of the 11-point agreement

1. Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is a free, sovereign, independent and an indivisible country. It is the duty of every Nepali to protect Nepal’s independence, sovereignty, and its integrity.
2. We are committed and determined to move ahead through a peaceful and democratic means to achieve political, socio-economic objectives thus agreeing to fulfill the existing dissatisfaction of the people in the Terai on the basis of sovereign people’s participation through democratic means.
3. It is common to have differences in a democratic political system. The state, political parties and entire citizens should be tolerant on them and that they should be resolved through democratic processes.
4. Social justice, equality and good-will are our common goals. We are committed to empowering all the Nepali people with political, economic, social rights. Similarly, we are also committed to head the nation towards the path of equality and socialism through good governance in the country, including Madhesh, and embracing the rights of sovereignty, autonomy and self-governance guaranteed by the constitution.
5. All the political cases, including sedition filed against the cadres and leaders of Independent Madhesh Alliance will be withdrawn and those currently serving jail terms will be released unconditionally.
6. Leaders and cadres of Independent Madhesh Alliance will not be penalized based on the publicity materials such as books, flyers, manifesto, songs, map, party flags and online materials published earlier. Such materials will not be produced again in future.
7. The leaders and cadres of Independent Madhesh Alliance will not be deprived of residing in any parts of Nepal. They are allowed to run any kind of profession, establish institutes or political parties and join mainstream politics in line with the constitution of Nepal.
8. The government will provide due compensation and an employment to a member of the family of Ram Manohar Yadav, Banke district coordinator of Independent Madhesh Movement, who died in police custody on August 31, 2018.
9. The government will bear the treatment expenses to all those who sustained injuries during agitations organized by the Independent Madhesh Movement.
10. We have agreed to use the skills, knowledge and caliber of the cadres and leaders of the Independent Madhesh Alliance for the peaceful and democratic transformation of the country so as to take it to a new height. The government will treat the Independent Madhesh Alliance as a political force.
11. The agreement comes into force from today itself.

KATHMANDU, March 8: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has attended the main function of the 109th International Women’s Day.

KATHMANDU: CK Raut, a secessionist, has been speculated that he would join the mainstream politics by giving up his previous agenda of dividing the country.

Reports are rife that Prime Minister KP Oli and CK Raut are sharing the same platform at the Rastriya Sabha Griha today at 1 pm where they will be expressing their views.

According to sources, CK Raut is likely to join the Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

Raut was released on Thursday after the Supreme Court’s orders. As soon as his release, a meeting was held between CK Raut and some senior leaders of NCP, it is learned.

A meeting of the NCP secretariat is being held now. “The meeting will decide whether Raut will join the party or not,” an NCP leader told Khabarhub.

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has extended his best wishes to all the Nepali sisters living in and outside of the country on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. The 109th International Women’s Day is being observed today with various programmes. The theme for this year is: ‘Think Equal, Build Smart and Innovate for Change’.

In a message of best wishes, NC President Deuba lamented that the cases of violence against women (VAW), oppression, subjugation and exploitation were still rife in our society. The former Prime Minister however expressed his confidence that the Day would contribute to raising awareness against VAW.

KATHMANDU: Deputy Prime Minister Upendra Yadav has expressed disenchantment over the Kailali District Court’s verdict of slapping life imprisonment to Rastriya Janata Party lawmaker Resham Chaudhary.

Talking exclusively to Khabarhub today, Deputy Prime Minister Yadav, who is also the Chairman of Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal, said the issue had to be addressed politically cautioning that such decisions could invite unfortunate circumstances.

“The case surrounding Resham Chaudhary was a political issue, not legal,” he said adding, “It would have been better had the government taken a political decision to settle the issue.”

Referring to what he said “several such cases” that the country has witnessed in the past, he said the decisions should not be bias based on region or geography. “Decisions have to be made on an equal footing,” he added.

Asked whether his party would pull out from the government, DPM Yadav responded: “Let the situation gets matured.”

KATHMANDU: A meeting of Nepali Congress (NC) Central Working Committee (CWC) has been scheduled on March 18.

Party spokesperson Bishwo Prakash Sharma informed that the central members would discuss formulation of party’s regulation and election committee, among other contemporary issues.

KATHMANDU:  House of Representatives today passed the proposal on ‘Public-Private Partnership and Investment Bill-2075.’

Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, minister for finance had tabled the bill on behalf of the Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli. Prior to floating the proposal, lawmaker Dev Prasad Gurung had said that there should be participatory and supportive role of the private sector for nation building.

Stressing the need of prioritizing the domestic investment rather than foreign investment, he said that investment should be approved keeping national sovereignty and security in mind.

However, lawmaker Janardan Sharma commented that although the bill was brought in order to fulfill the expectations and spirit of development, it lacks concrete plan.

Likewise, lawmaker, Som Prasad Pandey said that the role of industry is crucial in making the country prosperous. He underscored the need of a clear plan to attract foreign investment. He further added that a special and technical committee should be formed to monitor the IBN.

Lawmaker Khagaraj Adhikari stressed the need of increasing the limit of capital at a time when the country has moved ahead towards the journey of prosperity. He commented that the bill has not clearly mentioned about the provision to resolve the problem of land acquisition in executing industrial projects.

Finance Minister, Dr Khatiwada while responding the queries of lawmaker said that the bill was essential to pave the way to prosperity and socialism with the cooperation of concerned stakeholders.