According to the Terrorism and Disruptive Acts (Prevention and Control) Ordinance, anyone who has aided the Maoists in any way becomes an accomplice and is liable to be punished. The Royal Nepal Army, the police and the armed police are not fighting the Maoists, essentially because of that law. But, surprisingly, there is also the chance that those who ordered the security forces to fight the Maoists using the same the law are also likely to be caught in the tangle. At a parliamentary committee meeting last week Member of Parliament Lilamani Poudel said he has proof that the country's prime minister, ministers and MPs have given donations to the Maoists. The Rastriya Prajatantra Party's Jog Meher Shrestha and Poudel both said that they could provide evidence that the prime minister and four other ministers had regularly given the Maoists donations and gifts. The issue of ministers and MPs giving donations to Maoists is likely to be discussed in a special committee of parliament. The committee is expected to call in the MPs who have offered to make the evidence available. It was disclosed at the committee meeting that the prime minister had given Rs 9,000 and that others, including some present cabinet members and 14 MPs, had at different instances given donations adding up to Rs 1 million. If proven, then it follows that those found guilty should be punished-under the very ordinance they themselves had recommended to His Majesty. Otherwise democracy and the rule of law will lose their meaning. How can those giving donations go scot free when villagers who have aided the Maoists by giving them food or donations under duress and threats have been subjected to questioning and other actions by the security forces?