Baidya makes call for consensus garnering

Kathmandu: CPN-Maoist chairman Mohan Baidya has said that there was still time to forge consensus. He has also urged one and all to support towards that direction. Speaking at a face-to-face interaction programme organised by the Reporters Club Nepal at his own residence Dhapasi today, he said, “The problems of the country cannot be solved without a national consensus. So, nothing has gone wrong yet.  I urge civil society, journalists and political parties to play supportive role towards initiating consensus building effort. Government, be serious on it.”
Stating that the conflict cannot be resolved without the political consensus, he claimed that the election held under the shadow of guns will only increase the conflict. He added: “The peace process cannot reach to the conclusion by sidelining us, a component of this process. This will extend the conflict rather than resolving it. ”
Baidya said that the government and major political parties did not respond to his party’s repeated appeals for forging consensus. Lamenting the government preparation to quell their ‘peaceful’ protest, he said that his party’s further moves will be determined by the state’s activities.  He said: “We have been ignored. We will move ahead differently by launching another protest.”
“The UCPN (Maoist) feared the defeat and the Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) harboured suspicion that CPN-Maoist and UCPN (Maoist) could unite. These were the interests of the major parties for excluding us from the election process,” Baidya claimed. Informing that his party will introduce new set of the protest programmes, he claimed that the protest was their compulsion rather than the desire. Baidya urged the people to understand his party’s compulsion despite the inconveniences people have faced due to the protest.
He said that their nationwide general transportation strike would not be withdrawn until their demands are met. “Transportation strike will continue. We will now focus on making its more effective. This is not going to be withdrawn unless our demands are met,” he said.
Hinting towards the recent incidents of bomb plantation, he denied any information about it. He said that arson and torching of the vehicle by the angry public was obvious. “Major parties and government is responsible for creating this situation,” he argued.  He said that they were ready to give the arrest if the speculations that the government was preparing to arrest them were true.
Indicating to the statement of the UCPN (Maoist) leaders to provide the poll opposing CPN-Maoist 26 seats of the CA through cabinet appointment, he termed the statement was a humiliation to them.  He warned to overthrow the state to install their own. He also accused UCPN (Maoist) supremo Prachanda of outshining reactionaries and betraying people to reach the domain of the reactionary forces.
He said that the foreign forces does not have a right to comment that ‘something was positive or negative’ on Nepal’s issues. “We do not need anyone’s sermons and instructions. We are capable of resolving our problems,” he said.
Baidya also requested Club’s President Rishi Dhamala to make an attempt for starting a new chapter of consensus among the parties. In response, Dhamala said that he was always for the consensus, adding that the people do not want another conflict in the country.