KATHMANDU: Nearly six years after signing the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) and entering into mainstream politics, Nepal’s former rebellion party- UCPN Maoist- has accepted using children during the armed insurgency.

Responding to a writ petition filed at the Supreme Court, Prime Minister and Vice Chairman of the party Dr Baburam Bhattarai accepted using child soldiers to fight with the state force, Nepali daily newspaper Nepali Samacharpatra reported on Sunday.

The writ petition was filed at the court against the government’s decision to provide Rs 2 lakhs to each of the child soldiers and late PLAs disqualified by UNMIN during its initial verification process.

In its written response, the PM has accepted of recruiting child soldiers during the armed insurgency and argued that it was agreed to pay these under-age militia and other disqualified combatants an amount of Rs 2 lakhs.

During the initial week of October, the government had decided to pay off the amount to these combatants. However the decision was challenged by the opposition stating that it was against the CPA.

” Of the 4 thousand and 8 Maoist PLAs disqualified by UNMIN on the basis of underage and of their recruitment date, the government has decided to pay Rs 2 lakhs to each of the combatants disqualified for being under age. The government hopes that the amount will help these ex-combatants to rehabilitate in the society,” the newspaper quoted the PM as stating in the written reply to the court.

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s former monarch, Gyanendra Shah, has been forced to cancel his nation visit due to protest programs of the opposition parties aimed at toppling Bhattarai government.

The former monarch was scheduled to make pilgrimages to five districts of the central region of the country.

During his recent pilgrimage to the mid-western region of the country, Gyanendra had publicly commented on the ongoing political crisis and warned political parties of future crisis.

However, the protest programs organized by 15 political parties has forced Gyanendra to skip the tour and subsequently focus on his wife’s health.

Nepali newspaper Nepal Samacharpatra while confirming the report stated that Gyanendra is scheduled to head for Singapore for his wife-Komal’s- health checkup.

Sources near Gyanendra claimed that the visit was cancelled predicting intense political clashes in the near future.

Besides the cancelled central region visit, Gyanendra favorites have organized his visit to eastern region of the country later this year.