Curtain raiser - Nepali Times

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Curtain raiser

FROM ISSUE #552 (06 MAY 2011 - 12 MAY 2011) | TABLE OF CONTENTS

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BIKRAM RAI

STAGE MANAGED: Prime Minister Jhal Nath Khanal emerges into the main hall at Shital Nibas for the swearing-in of his expanded cabinet on Wednesday. President Ram Baran Yadav can be seen waiting in the anteroom.

Prime Minister Jhal Nath Khanal's long-awaited expansion of his cabinet has turned out to be a rocky affair. Three Maoist members refused to take their oath, one minister from the existing cabinet resigned, and the lineup set off storms of controversies within all three main parties in the coalition.

It took Khanal nearly 100 days, but the Maoists got their pound of flesh: the home ministry. The portfolio was given to a loyalist of Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, leaving the hardline faction disgruntled. Another minister, Agni Sapkota who replaced Mahara in the information ministry, is blacklisted by most western governments for alleged war crimes.

Meanwhile, BBC Nepali Service on Thursday broadcasted a tape in which senior Maoist leader CP Gajurel tells the party's new People's Volunteer Bureau why the home ministry is important. "We need to control the APF and Nepal Police to help us in taking over total state power through a people's revolt," he is quoted as saying. Later, Gajurel told journalists his party's policy had changed since he gave that speech.

The resignation of Peace Minister Barsha Man Pun for being bypassed in the home ministry points to a growing rift within the Maoist party over the cabinet composition. The UML politburo meeting on Thursday grew acrimonious as members accused the prime minister of double crossing the party. How the leaders manage inter- and intra-party disputes in the next two weeks will determine the fate of the peace process.

1. Raghu

These politicians think they own the country and not the people. They talk about people's power and people's constitution but it will be their constitution and not ours.

Posted on: 06 MAY 2011 | 1:04 PM NST

2. who cares
that cp gajural also said a few months earlier that people in the village are no longer scared of ycl so they are going (or they need) new gang. may be he was talking about the new volunteer gang.

the only strategy of theirs is terror. terrorizing the same individuals, they say, they are doing politics for.

Posted on: 06 MAY 2011 | 2:34 PM NST

3. Shankar Lal Shrestha
Every one is only complaining, no one is doing anything. All politicians from all the 3 big parties are best of friends. They help each other, get richer and richer. The dirty, filthy politicians will surely one day meet same fate as that of Hosni Mubarak or the disgraced President of Isreal. Its only a matter of time. Every one made a big deal about the Home Ministry, but The Maoist still got it. WHY? Can any body answer the question. America as a huge country has 50 states and 100 senators and 435 House of Representives. Nepal, a very, very small county, 1 state has 601 lawmakers. What is wrong with this picture. Its a disgrace to American and India diplomats as well that, those posted to Nepal cannot give the right advise and work for the benefit of Nepali people. 601.... what a waste of resources and what a disgrace, especially with the scandal of selling and renting of diplomatic passports by these worthless lawmakers.... Nepalis have nothing to be proud of these days, we always have to hang our heads in shame.

Posted on: 06 MAY 2011 | 7:56 PM NST

4. Shree Shrestha
Nepal is the only country who has 3 deputy primeministers and 601 parliamentarians. What we really need is just 1 President, 1 Vicepresident, 1 minister for each ministry and 1 assistant minister for each departments. We do not need primeminister and deputyprime ministers. We can still do this. To make it simple, select 75 elected members to represent 75 districts from the present CA to form National Assembly and dissolve the CA and go for fresh election for the House of Representatives (about 200 members).

Posted on: 07 MAY 2011 | 7:42 PM NST

5. Gole
C. P. Gajurel was a pastor at Goa for some time. He is responsible for getting financial support for the Maoist from the Norwagian Lutheran Christians . Christian Missionaries are here to propogate their faith and increase their number. More than 30% 0f their PLA cadres are Christians including Sita Paudel ,Hisila Yemi and Dina Nath'

Posted on: 09 MAY 2011 | 6:22 AM NST

6. Kale Rai
As the C A' s term is being extended ,let the number be reduced by half at best.Let every party cut their number by half.
Every party talks of inclusive PARTICIPATION.
BUT IN PRACTICE IT IS NOT SO. LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF REPRESENTATION OF MARWARIS , THEY ARE ABOUT A DOZEN OR SO. THEIR NUMBER IN 2001 SENSUS IS ABOUT 50 000 ONLY. SO THEIR NUMBER SHOULD HAVE B EEN LESS THAN QNE; 1 FOR 100 000.
WHY IT IS SO? BECAUSE EVERY PARTY WANTS CONTRIBUTION FROM THE BUSSINESS-MAN.
WHY HAVE THEY NOT GIVEN THAT SEAT TO THE MAGINALIZED OR DALITS? MONEY IS POWER.

Posted on: 09 MAY 2011 | 6:33 AM NST

7. Vija Srestha
The curtain opens and out comes the entertainer to announce that; he is giving stage to Mr.Dahal with his PLA soon after the 28th of May .Mr.Khanal has done his part of the deal and now is Mr.Dahal's turn.

Posted on: 09 MAY 2011 | 11:01 AM NST

8. Upendra Nepali

BBC Nepali Service might have 'broadcast'
Gajurel's controversial claims, but
NT wrote ' broadcasted'. As you may
know, broadcast is one of those few
words that remains unchanged in
all tenses---past, present and future.

Hope you will take care of such
things in coming weeks and months.

Posted on: 10 MAY 2011 | 5:42 PM NST