People's Democracy

Now, MPs Forum On Nepal

A FORUM of ‘Parliamentarians For Democracy In Nepal’ will be formed by Indian MPs in this monsoon session itself as part of solidarity with the ongoing struggle of the people of Nepal for restoration of democracy in their country. This forum will strive to rally international support among parliamentarians and governments for this cause.

This was decided at a meeting of the ‘Nepal Democracy Solidarity Committee, India’ held at CPI(M) headquarters on August 3. The committee consists of nine political parties – CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc, RSP, CPI(ML), NCP, JD(S), SJP, Socialist Front – and its chairman is CPI(M) former general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet. The committee has also decided to hold an all India convention in New Delhi on August 26 to highlight the growing repression in Nepal by the King. It will invite the seven party coalition formed in Nepal against Emergency for this convention.

This was announced by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury (who substituted an indisposed Surjeet) and NCP leader and secretary of the committee D P Tripathi at a media conference after the meeting. The meeting expressed deep concern at the continuing arrests and repression in Nepal and decided to highlight the situation by holding this convention.

Taking strong exception to harassment of ordinary Nepalese in India in the name of they being Maoists, the leaders alleged that even doctors who are treating them are being threatened by Indian police. Terming this as ‘absolutely unethical’, they demanded the government to ensure that this harassment is put to an end immediately. They announced that a delegation of committee members would meet the prime minister or home minister in this regard.

Yechury reiterated the demand for reconsideration of Indian government’s decision to resume arms supply to Nepal as it would only legitimize what the King is doing there. He also expressed concern that under the new Indo-US agreement signed by the prime minister, the US may try to interfere in Nepal citing the joint effort for democracy. He made it clear that this should not happen.

Among those who attended the meeting were D Raja (CPI), Debabrata Biswas and Devarajan (Forward Bloc), Abani Roy (RSP), Swapan Mukherjee (CPI-ML), D P Tripathi (NCP), Surendra Mohan (JD-S), Ravindra Manchanda (SJP) and Anil Misra and Vijay Pratap (Socialist Front).