Rejecting charges made by Maoist chairman Prachanda that she had ordered the police to conduct raids in offices of Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL), Minister without portfolio Sujata Koirala said the operation was launched as per the government decision.

In her interaction with journalists in Biratnagar, on Thursday, Sujata said the raids were aimed at ‘controlling unruly activities aimed at disrupting the election.’

She said, “It is the duty of the government to control wrongful activities. There is no need to blow up this issue.”

Some reports have said that the decision to raid YCL offices were made by Minister of State for Home, Ram Kumar Chaudhary – who is said to be close to Sujata Koirala – at the direct instruction of the prime minister and without the knowledge of Home Minister Krishna Sitaula.

Sujata also blasted the decision of the Maoists to revive the people’s revolutionary councils as parallel government just ahead of election. nepalnews.com sd Feb 08 08