Prachanda says barrel of gun still relevant in Nepal

Kathmandu, Dec 13 (ANI): Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda has said there is need to educate people about the positive aspects of violence in order to ensure that the recent political achievements are not endangered.

Addressing a seminar titled, "The need for cultural transformation and its direction," here on Friday, Prachanda said the political changes that have come about in the country so far have taken place on the basis of violence including the declaration of a federal democratic republic.

"We should not tell people lies about violence. If there is an attempt to take away people's rights they will counter the attempt with violence," he added.

The Prime Minister said the gun was in the middle at the moment. There is a strong possibility that the gun will come into the hands of the people.

Prachanda's remarks come at a time when there are differing views among political parties over the integration of the Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army.

Prachanda clarified he was saying this as chairman of CPN (Maoist) and not as the Prime Minister. He said he had to say this in response to a paper presented earlier by CPN-UML leader Pradeep Gyawali who said, "Violence can never be the choice of a democratic force or principle, and the gun can never be a decisive means for change."

According to Prachanda, the political changes of 1951, 1960 and 1990 had also been on the basis of some kind of violence.

He reiterated the Maoists stance that political changes since 2006 had been on the basis of the Maoist people's war and the sacrifice of thousands of people.

He however mentioned that as a Prime Minister he was committed to the peace process, the drafting of a people-oriented constitution and a prosperous Nepal.

He also stressed on the necessity of launching new campaign for writing a pro-people constitution and take Nepal's peace process to logical end, Kantipur reported. (ANI)