India-Nepal Forum seek release of jailed Maoist leaders

New Delhi, Mar 31 (UNI) Activists of India-Nepal People's Solidarity Forum today staged a dharna at Jantar Mantar here seeking the release of two Maoist leaders and 180 of their colleagues from Nepal imprisoned in India, thereby enabling them to participate in their countrymen's struggle against the autocratic regime of the King there.

According to Forum leader Anand Swaroop Verma, Nepal's most popular Maoist leader Chander Prakash Gajurel alias Com Gaurav and Mohan Vaid alias Com. Kiran were lodged in Chennai and Siliguri jails respectively three years ago. They were picked up by police on their visit to India for treatment and were implicated in false cases.

Under the India-Nepal agreement, their citizens are free to avail of medical treatment and other facilities in each other's country. Besides them, about 180 other Maoist activists from Nepal had also been arrested and put in different jails in India, Mr Verma said.

The Forum leaders also criticised India for its 'dual policy" as on the one hand it has been supporting the ongoing movement for democracy in Nepal and on the other putting the leaders of anti-monarchy struggle in jail.

India should do away with such ambiguity and immediatley set free the Maoist leaders and workers from Nepal, the Forum leaders demanded.

UNI/JSS LS DS1542