The Hindu : National : Left parties, socialist groups want democracy restored in Nepal

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Sunday, Feb 06, 2005

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Left parties, socialist groups want democracy restored in Nepal

By Our Special Correspondent

— Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

Leaders of political parties (from left) D. Raja, A. B. Bardhan (both CPI), Harkishan Singh Surjeet, Sitaram Yechury (both CPI-M), D.P. Tripathi (NCP), Prem Chand Gupta (RJD) at a meeting in the CPI (M) office in New Delhi on Saturday.

NEW DELHI, FEB. 5. Left parties and socialist groups today decided to extend moral and political support to democratic forces in Nepal fighting for restoration of democracy. They urged the Government not to do anything that would provide legitimacy to King Gyanendra's move.

At a meeting here, the parties condemned the abrogation of democracy in the Himalayan Kingdom and called upon New Delhi to make it clear to Kathmandu that the "palace coup is unacceptable and demand the restoration of democracy in Nepal immediately."

At a press conference, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, Sitaram Yechury, the CPI secretary, D. Raja, the Nationalist Congress Party general secretary, D.P. Tripathi, Swapan Mukherjee of the CPI(ML), Ravinder Manchanda of the Samajwadi Janata Party and Vijay Pratap of the Socialist Front, said: "The Government is the best judge of the situation and it should take steps to ensure to convey that the monarchy does not get recognition. All forces in Nepal who are for restoration of democracy shall have our solidarity."

Asked whether the support would be extended to the Maoists in Nepal, they said it would be the case if the Maoists want democracy restored.

National meet

The meeting decided to hold a national convention here on February 24 to garner support for restoration of democracy in Nepal. Political parties and forces willing to join the efforts would be invited. The CPI(M) general secretary, Harkishan Singh Surjeet, would be the chairman and Mr. Tripathi the secretary of the convening committee.

Those present at today's meeting included Mr. Surjeet, Mr. Raja, the CPI leader, Pallab Sengupta, the All-India Forward Bloc general secretary, Debabrata Biswas, its secretary, G. Devarajan, the Rashtriya Janata Party leader and Union Minister, Prem Gupta, and the Socialist Front's Anil Manchanda.

Abani Roy (Revolutionary Socialist Party), Surendera Mohan (Janata Dal-Secular) and Janeswar Misra (Samajwadi Party) could not attend the meeting but conveyed their agreement.

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