KATHMANDU, Aug 1: Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has expressed sorrow over passing away of former central committee member of the party and former member of Parliament, Krishna Kumar Joshi.

Issuing a condolence message, President Deuba said the party would always remember Joshi’s contribution in establishment of democracy and party organization, saying he was saddened by Joshi’s demise. “I express sorrow over Joshi’s demise and extend condolences to the bereaved family. I also wish for eternal peace for the departed soul. Joshi’s demise is an irreparable loss to the party”, reads the message.

A resident of Melauli municipality, Baitadi, Joshi, breathed his last in Kathmandu on Tuesday night. He was 73.

Joshi was the founder President of NC Baitadi in 2034 BS. He was the central committee member of the NC in 2044 and was elected the member of House of Representatives from Baitadi Constituency-1 in 2048 BS. He is survived by two sons and three daughters.

The body of Joshi has been kept at NC central office, Sanepa, Lalitpur, for final tribute. His final rites will be performed at Pashupati Aryaghat today, said NC Spokesperson, Bishwo Prakash Sharma. RSS

CHITWAN, July 28: Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has said the reason behind the weakness of NC was that it seemed like two parties.

Addressing the 10th national general convention of the Democratic Lawyers’ Association in Gaidakot on Saturday, President Deuba said time has come to fight the different political thoughts. So, it is essential for the party leaders and well-wishers to be united.

He said, “Betrayal and enmity among friends is prevalent. Unless this problem is addressed, the party can’t be united.” He however said he was committed to end it.

According to him, the NC was launching agitation because of undemocratic activities of the government. “We have no wish to struggle, but are forced,” he said, urging the government to move ahead in a democratic manner.

President Deuba said it was positive to have agreement with Dr Govinda KC. However, watchfulness is essential whether anything goes wrong on implementation, he underscored.

Senior leader Ramchandra Poudel said the party could be united by properly evaluating the justice and transparency in the party. It is wrong to think that NC becomes stronger when communist party turns weak.

He argued that both Speaker and Deputy Speaker belong to the same party, which is against the constitution.

Moreover, Vice-President Bimalendra Nidhi said the party’s policy and training department would be made smooth and organizational structures effective as per the federal system.

General Secretary Dr Sashank Koirala said NC would emerge as the largest party by ending groupism. For it, all should rise above the personal interests.

Other leaders, and former chairman of Nepal Bar Association, Sher Bahadur KC and former speaker Daman Nath Dhungana, suggested that NC could be modernized.
The inaugural session was led by Association’s Chairman Bharat Kharel.

The convention, attended by 1,131 representatives from across the country, is electing new leadership on Sunday. RSS

KATHMANDU, July 22: Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has accused the government of trying to suppress citizens’ fundamental rights of peaceful protest by declaring prohibited area.

During a program organized by party central committee on the occasion of the 36th BP Memorial Day on Sunday, President Deuba said the suppression of peaceful protests was against democracy and human rights. BP’s view of not co-working with communists was relevant, he argued.

He reminded that the government he led had brought the medical education bill as per the spirit of the Mathema commission to address the demand of Prof Dr Govinda KC. So the present government needs to bring this bill as it was in the ordinance.

On the occasion, senior leader of the party Ram Chandra Poudel made it clear that NC was not deviated from BP’s view. “The constitution was promulgated through the Constituent Assembly as envisioned by BP. NC has propelled various activities focused on rural development since 1990,” he argued.

Poudel accused the government of resorting to suppression and ignoring Dr KC’s demand to reach the quality medical education in the rural areas.

General Secretary Dr Sashank Koirala said real tribute to the late BP Koirala would be the internalization of the principles and guidelines set by him. He urged the party leadership to end groupism in the party and make it united.

Treasurer Sita Devi Yadav said although all NC people were aware of BP’s contribution and principle for democracy, betrayal within NC was an abhorring attitude.

Other speakers as Gopal Man Shrestha and Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat opined that the country got constitution and the socioeconomic developments in line with BP’s principles. RSS

SARLAHI: Nepali Congress senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has claimed that the NC would bring a clear majority in the upcoming CA elections to ensure drafting of a democratic constitution. Deuba also said that the NC would win more seats in the Tarai adding that the southern plain is the party’s historical vote bank

Despite pressure on the government to fix the polls date, Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that the polls date can be declared only three months before the CA polls.

At a press conference here this morning, the NC senior leader and three times prime minister also acknowledged that the Trivenidham conclave of the party held recently has corrected the party’s earlier mistakes.

Deuba also stated that the NC would bring the declaration paper before the CA polls by incorporating the grievances of all communities.

Itahari: Nepali Congress senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has claimed that the promises made by the UCPN Maoist leaders during their ongoing seventh  general convention were just ‘piles of lies’, aimed at deceiving the general public.

Speaking here on Monday, the former Prime Minister commented that the political document of UCPN Maoist, which the party intends to endorse through the jumboree, will not yield results unless the party leaders give up their totalitarian attitude. 

Accusing the Maoist leaders of constantly deflecting from their promises, Deuba said that the party leaders lacked accountability to believe in their proposal. 

Deuba even accused the Maoist led government and the party leadership of protecting murderers, extortionists and rapists and asserted that seeking a new mandate from the public through elections can end the ongoing political stalemate in the country.

Stating that the nation was under great crisis and difficult situation, Deuba called on all opposition political parties to unite against the incumbent government for forming a new government. 

Commenting on the recent protest programs of the opposition parties, Deuba said that the opposition parties were gaining strength and expressed confidence that the agitation will gain momentum soon to topple the Bhattarai government.

DANG: Nepali Congress senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that the opposition should not struggle much to topple down the government, as Prime Minister Dr Bhattarai has been infamous before the people.

Despite the coalition parties’ call to stop the ongoing agitations and come for the talks, the NC  said that Baburam Bhattarai’s government would be changed through the street protests.

Deuba said massive anti-government protests would be organized across the country to topple the UCPN (Maoist) government. Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai is main obstacle to consensus, Deuba said addressing a press conference in Dang today.

The opposition political parties have started anti-government protests from Dailekha on Saturday dubbing it the people’s movement-III.

However, on Saturday, ruling parties’ coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ had mocked the opposition parties’ move saying that it would make no difference to the government and coalition parties.

Deuba’s statement comes at a time when the European nations have been pressing Nepal to form Truth and Reconcilliation Commission and other transitional justice mechamism to bring war-crimes to books.

Along with that human rights, and journalist bodies across the nation are on agitation demanding trial of Maoist cadres who murdered journalist Dekendra Thapa in 2004.

Speaking at an interaction program organised in Nepalgunj on Friday, Deuba said accused the Maoists of upsetting the peace process and said that the totalitarian mindset of the Maoists is hindering the drafting of the new constitution.

He further slammed the coalition government of unilateral decisions and claimed that the lust for power among political parties was the main reason for the present political and constitutional status quo.

Stating that his party had forwarded Koirala’s candidacy for the PM’s post as per inter-party consensus, he accused the Maoists of deviating from their promises.