Nepal Prime Minister quits after President blocks his action against army chief

Kosh Raj Koirala – Asian Tribune Correspondent in Nepal

Kathmandu, 05 May, (Asiantribune.com): Nepal’s Prime Pushpa Kamal DahalMinister Pushpa Kamal Dahal tendered his resignation on Monday after President Dr Ram Baran Yadav blocked his decision to sack Nepal Army Chief Rookmangud Katawal. Prime Minister Dahal blamed President Dr Yadav for creating a ‘parallel power center against the popularly elected government.’

The Maoist-led government on Sunday had unilaterally taken a decision to sack army chief Katawal despite protest from all other coalition partners. A cabinet meeting held on Sunday morning had appointed second-in-command in the army Kul Bahadur Khadka as acting chief of the national army.

Things took a turn after President Dr Yadav in his capacity as the Supreme Commander of the army late on the evening blocked the prime minister’s move, by sending an official letter to army chief Katawal to continue in his office.

“There is an urgent need for ending the dual regime created through unconstitutional measures,” the prime minister said in his televised address to the nation on Monday afternoon. “The whole country needs to be united against such a move."

“There is no power to the constitutional president to become a parallel force,” he said. “Whoever has provoked the first elected president of the republican Nepal to do such unconstitutional meddling
on the issue of establishing civilian supremacy is a blatant attack on democracy,” he said.

“The move taken by the president under provocation of some political parties is unconstitutional and undemocratic,” he added during the 13-minute long speech. “The interim constitution has not given right to the president to act independently without recommendation of the cabinet.”

The Maoist had formed the coalition government in August last after the former rebel party stood largest of all 24 parties in the Constituent Assembly election held in April, 2008.

The outgoing prime minister said he has arrived at a conclusion to quit the office for safeguarding democracy and nationalism. He expressed confidence that his move would help to end uneasy situation facing the country and create conducive atmosphere for safeguarding endangered democracy, nationalism and also bring the ongoing peace process to a logical conclusion.

The prime minister, who is also chairman of Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) that waged a decade-long civil war in the country, said that the united moves of a number of political parties and forces against democracy and peace process has become grave concerns of safety of the country’s nascent democracy and peace process.

“The genuine democratic parties have a time to pay special attention toward the fact that some of the political forces prepared grounds for the unconstitutional move of the president by spreading rumor about Maoists’ plan to capture state powers.

Meanwhile, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon said he is ‘seriously concerned’ about the political crisis prompted by the row between the Maoist-led government and army chief Katawal. He warned that recent political developments in Nepal may pose risks to the ongoing peace process.

"The Secretary-General is seriously concerned about the current political crisis in Nepal centred on the relationship between the Government and the Chief of Army Staff, and the possible risks posed to the peace process," said a statement released in New York on Sunday. "The Secretary-General calls on all concerned to resolve the crisis through dialogue and consensus, with full respect for the provisions of the constitution."

Issuing separate press statement on Monday, European Union and the United States of America have also expressed similar concern about the ongoing peace process in Nepal due to political developments unfolded in last few days.

Meanwhile, the Maoist party has decided to fight against the President’s move in court, the streets and in the parliament, according the party’s senior leader Top Bahadur Rayamahi. The party arrived at the decision after more than two hour-long discussions among the party’s senior leaders and consultation with legal experts on Monday.

- Asian Tribune -