New games were being played to gain power in Sindarbar. The unstable political environment was weakening peace and security. The killings of people in the name of the Maoist armed rebellion that began on 1 February 2009, attacks on security personnel and state infrastructure were becoming the biggest challenge for the government.

The series of killings carried out in the name of suppressing the Maoists was also increasing. The government was confused whether to bring the Maoists into the political mainstream or to suppress them. To create a clear blueprint, the then Lokendra Bahadur Chand-led government had formed a task force under the coordination of UML leader Prem Singh Dhami to ‘Search for Maoist Activities and Solutions’. Based on the suggestions given by the task force, the government planned to formulate a strategic plan regarding the Maoist armed movement.

The task force submitted its report to the government on 30 July 2009 through Home Minister Bamdev Gaut. The report suggested that political negotiations should be held with the consent of all parties, that citizens' trust in the state should be increased, and that administrative action should be made effective if other measures did not work. The report suggested development, awareness programs, employment, and building trust in the government in the villages of the middle-middle region. The report suggested various measures, focusing more on Rukum, Rolpa, Salyan, and Jajarkot districts. It also mentioned a plan to conduct awareness programs in the Magar language in the affected districts from corruption control. Administrative action as a priority story break The government, on the other hand, was preparing to bring a bill on the punishment of subversive and terrorist activities to make administrative action more effective to control the Maoist movement. Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand had concluded that the action was not effective because the courts were releasing arrested Maoists. story break Chand changed his mind five months after becoming prime minister. He had previously said that the Maoist movement should be resolved politically. But recently, in an interview with Kantipur Daily, he said, ‘There is a need for such an act, through which the arrested person can be kept for a few more days for investigation under the court’s order.’ While justifying the bill, he asked what to call those who terrorize people and take their lives as terrorists instead of calling them terrorists.

Prime Minister Chand had called the Maoists terrorists for the first time on behalf of the government. ‘People are being harmed by intimidation and threats, and it is the government’s first duty to control it,’ he had argued. Arguing that the path to a political solution to the Maoist movement was not closed, Prime Minister Chand had reiterated that it was the government’s responsibility to protect lives and property in the country. He had informed that the destructive bill would be presented in the House after discussing with all political parties.

Chand’s stance on Kalapani encroachment

 As the issue of Kalapani encroachment is being discussed now, this issue was on the agenda of discussions between Nepal and India even 29 years ago . After the Mahakali Treaty, the issue of preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Pancheshwar could not move forward . Chand had maintained that the DPR of the Pancheshwar project would not be prepared until the Kalapani encroachment dispute was resolved .

In an interview with Kantipur, he had said that talks were underway between Nepal and India and that he stood by what he said . He had informed that the American company Enron had been invited for talks to advance the Karnali-Chisapani project . Enron Renewable Energy Corporation, which was interested in implementing the 10,800 MW project, had applied in 2053.  At that time, it had proposed to build a 3,400 MW power project .

Chand had informed that an all-party consensus would be sought when taking a decision on the West Seti project like the Karnali project . He had said that there was no point in negotiating with India while signing an agreement with a company during the construction of a power project. Chand had also informed that negotiations were underway with India regarding the 1950 treaty.

Chand had not given a blueprint for Nepal's stance in the talks. Chand, who has been working as the Prime Minister for five months in collaboration with the UML, had said that he had no problem in running the government. He had said, 'I am enjoying myself.' But the misuse of state resources to maintain power and the repression of the opposition during local elections had turned the government's attitude negative.

Kantipur published a news report on the current political instability in the country, the situation arising from the Maoist armed movement, the destructive bill that the government is going to introduce, and the Kalapani border encroachment, focusing on the issues raised in the interview with Prime Minister Chand by journalist duo Narayan Wagle and Jogendra Ghimire on 31st July 2054 under the title ‘Law is necessary to control Maoist terror’.

Kantipur also made public the suggestions mentioned in the report submitted to the government by UML leader Prem Singh Dhami on the methods and procedures that can be adopted to solve the Maoist problem on the same day. Kantipur published a news report prepared by the RSS focusing on these suggestions under the title ‘There should be a national consensus on the approach towards Maoists’.

Presentation: Rishiram Paudyal