Maoist chairman Prachanda has described the eight point agreement reached between the political parties and Maoists during the summit talks on Friday as historic one.

Maoist Chairman Prachanda talking to journalists for the first time publicly after the summit talks between the govt. and the Maoists at the prime minister’s residence Friday evening, June 16 06. nepalnews.com

A smiling Prachanda with Baburam Bhattarai. nepalnews.com/rh
Addressing a press conference at Prime Minister’s residence after the summit talks between the Maoists and the seven political parties, Maoist Supremo said that the agreement proved that they could go together to fulfill the Nepali people’s desire of peace and prosperity braving enormous pressure from “powerful countries” and “big revolutionaries” against the idea of both sides reaching an understanding to topple autocracy.

“No one had thought that the rebels waging war and the political parties involved in parliamentary politics would jointly make a revolution happen,” Prachanda added.

He further said that the collaboration between the political parties and the Maoists took place to liberate the people from 237 year old grip of feudal forces and the influence of foreign elements.

“It is more than a political give and take. It’s also more than elector politics. It’s an experiment that can provide a new modality of peace to humankind,” Prachanda added.

Prachanda said the agreement could be an instrument to free the nation and its people of all kinds of foreign interference.

Rapping the government for organising the historical press conference in a disorderly manner, Prachanda said, “You have seen how disorderly the press conference has been organised by this old regime.”

“That is why we are stressing the need for restructuring the state,” he said, adding he wanted to share many things with the media but failed because of such a disorderly press meet.

He said the international community, including the USA and India, could not grasp the ground reality of the people’s 19 days of peaceful movement.

Prachanda also informed that both the sides had agreed to dissolve the HoR, the government headed by the alliance and their People’s Governments once the interim statute was framed within a month.

He also said that the election of the constituent assembly should be held within a year.

Commenting on the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s statement in favour of constituent assembly, Prachanda said, “All the political parties will be free to go to the people with an agenda of ceremonial monarchy. But we are in favour of democratic republic.”

Prachanda said that there is no need of 90,000 strong army for a small country like Nepal and added that the number could be reduced to 10 to 20 thousand.

“Why do we need 90,000 army men in a country sandwiched between India and China? It should be cut down to 20,000 at most,” Prachanda added.