Kathmandu, Jan. 1 : Minister for Defence and Finance Mahesh Acharya has said that although the registering of a no-confidence motion against the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leadership is part of the democratic process, given the present circumstances in which the government has come under attack from different sides, the timing of the motion is not reasonable.

Mr Acharya, who was speaking at a Face to Face programme organised by the Reporters Club here today, said since internal squabbling within the Nepali Congress leads to flux in national politics it is essential to rectify the mistakes and weaknesses of the past and direct attention towards the party’s institutional development.

Since the Nepali Congress is calling for unity to collectively work for the resolution of all national problems, in-party differences should be ironed out through mutual cooperation, he observed.

In democracy dialogue is an important tool in defusing tensions, he said stressing the need for open dialogue among all political parties on national issues.

Noting that violence or any other activity inimical to social unity and communal harmony and goodwill is never in the interest of the country, Mr Acharya said mutual dialogue is the key to resolution of all obtaining problems.

Since all political parties are unanimous that the path of violence chosen by the Maoists is wrong, it is also their common responsibility to act at an ideological level to stop organised violence, he said.

It is the responsibility of not only the police and army but also civil society to check violence, he said adding, the government has, on its part, actively mobilised the security agencies for that purpose.

Activities like Nepal Bandhs will ultimately prove counter-productive for the country, he said. Such activities only hit industry hard.

With the present state of affairs emerging as a big challenge before the country, it is high time we directed our attention to strengthening democratic institutions and consolidating democracy, he said.