Shankar Pokharel labels 'People’s War' as terror, ex-Maoist Bhatta sits in silence

Dhangadhi, September 25 — Shankar Pokharel, General Secretary of the CPN-UML, stated that the Maoists' armed conflict was marked not only by violence but also by acts of terror. He made these comments at a press conference organized by Press Chautari in Kailali today.

During the event, which also featured Lekharaj Bhatta, the UML's in-charge for Sudurpashchim Province and a former standing committee member of the Maoists, Pokharel said, "The Maoist conflict was not merely about violence. To be honest, it involved actions intended to instill terror in the nation, such as arson in broad daylight. There were even cases where 11 members of the same family were murdered in their sleep. This is not just violence; it constitutes terror."

As Pokharel labeled the Maoists as terrorists, Bhatta sat quietly with his eyes closed. At the time, Bhatta was a leader in many conflict zones but later joined the UML after the party split.

Pokharel went on to criticize the violence during the Maoist conflict, suggesting there was an attempt to frame it as political in order to prevent discussion in Parliament. He remarked that the challenges faced by Maoist Chairman Prachanda, after the formation of the new government have contributed to political tensions in the country. He described Prachanda's statements in Parliament post-government formation as non-parliamentary and unpolitical.

Additionally, Pokharel adopted a confrontational approach towards Rabi Lamichhane, president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party. He asserted that Lamichhane has not been cleared of allegations, stating, "A clean chit is granted when an investigation concludes and one is found innocent. It cannot be given based solely on rumors. A clean chit means being acquitted through the court or being declared innocent during the investigation."