Biratnagar, Jan. 19: Minister for Home, and Information and Communications Purna Bahadur Khadka has said since it is against the spirit of the constitution and human welfare for journalists to give credit to violent activities being carried out by the terrorists called “Maoists” with a view to subverting the parliamentary system, such journalism is not in the interest of the nation.

Minister Khadka made this remark while talking at a press meet organised by the Nepal Press Union, Morang here today.

The terrorists with no policy and principles cannot be Maoists, Mr Khadka said, adding that the terrorists have been challenging the parliamentary democratic system adopted by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal.

Minister Khadka called on the journalists to play a role in bringing the terrorists living in the jungles with guns and challenging the safety of the general public into the national mainstream

The Nepalese terrorist activities which are at par with the international terrorist activities have hindered the development activities in the country thereby bringing disrepute the principles of Maoism, he said, adding that such activities can be controlled through common efforts of all the political parties that accept the parliamentary system.

He also said hmg is preparing to constitute a task force by forging a working unity with the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) for effective implementation of the working journalists act with a view to safeguarding the professional rights of the Nepalese working journalists.

Minister Khadka also said the Ministry of Information and Communications will make efforts along with the task force for balanced distribution of government advertisements to all the newspapers.

The government advertisement have not been distributed in a justified manner and that the newspapers in Kathmandu only have been able to receive and strengthen themselves whereas the newspapers outside Kathmandu Valley have been getting weaker, he said, adding that hmg is making a detailed study into it and the problem will be solved in consonance with the FNJ.

On the occasion president of the Morang district Nepal Press Union Hem Raj Regmi said the right to information should be put into practice by law, the working journalists regulations should be implemented immediately, the journalists outside Kathmandu valley be provided equal opportunities for foreign tour, scholarship provided for promoting efficiency of the journalists and a separate head be maintained when allocating national budget.

Mr Regmi also handed over a 11-point demand to Minister Khadka.

On the occasion, president of the Morang district FNJ Dipak Dahal said the journalism sector will be disabled if the rights of the newspapers and the journalists outside Kathmandu Valley are not safeguarded.

Check red tapism: Meanwhile, Minister for Home, and Information and Communications Purna Bahadur Khadka has said His Majesty’s Government is committed to checking corruption, commission mongering, mafiaism and red tapism effectively.

Addressing the concluding session of the three-day eastern regional conference of the chief district officers, police officers and officers of the National Investigation Department here today, Minister Khadka said that the civil servants involved in the Home administration should maintain a clean image and play the role of a leader.

Mr Khadka directed the civil servants of the Home administration to carry out the works of the people without any delay.

Stating that the Ganesh Man Singh Peace Campaign had been launched to provide financial and other assistance to the people affected by terrorist activities as well as to help people giving up terrorist activities and wishing to lead a normal life, Mr Khadka said that the local administration and the police units had to play an active role in making the campaign successful.

Stating that the Nepali Congress had launched a ‘Satyagraha’ (peaceful movement) and armed struggle for the sovereign rights of the Nepali people, the minister said that the Nepali Congress had never carried out activities to terrorize the society and the people.

Mr Khadka made it clear that democracy and the nation as a whole would suffer if the terrorist activities carried out in the name of Maoists were compared with that of a political movement.

The responsibility of controlling terrorist activities is being handed over to the Home administration particularly the police organisation, the Home Minister said, adding that the civil servants linked with the Home administration should work with a high morale to fullfil the responsibility given to them.

Home secretary Padma Prasad Pokharel expressed confidence that the views expressed at the conference would help the participants to execute their works more effectively.

Inspector general of police Achyut Krishna Kharel said that the police units should be active in controlling criminal activities and maintaining law and order as His Majesty’s Government had been providing necessary equipment to the police organisation.

Chief of the National Investigation Department Haribabu Chaudhary said that the views expressed by the participants would help to make the department more active and effective.

The three-day regional conference had discussed the law and order, social and political situation obtaining in the country.

Mandated: Mr Khadka, while speaking at a workers’ gathering organised by the Nepali Congress Morang district committee here today, remarked that as mandated by the people, the present NC government is bent on removing corruption, commission-mongering and moral decay.

Stating that the government is facing development challenges in the country, the Home Minister said the NC workers should not forget that the party had an oppoutunity in the past to form a majority government, but had gone to mid-term polls due to intra-party bickering after which distortions and anomalies in various forms entered politics.

A good relationship has been maintained between the party and the government and the government is functioning in keeping with the party’s policy, Mr Khadka said, stressing the need of discussions to provide new direction and dynamism to the government.

Noting that seeking to run the government without the consent of NC leaders Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Girija Prasad Koirala sounds hollow and change in party leadership and government reshuffle are secondary issues, he observed that while changing the government numerically, the historic responsibility of the party should be taken into account seriously.

Various other speakers including NC Morang district member Ram Prasad Rijal and vice president of the Nepal Women’s Association Morang Shanta also expressed their views at the function chaired by NC Morang district acting president Dilip Sapkota.