CPN leader Janardan Sharma has dismissed the proposal by Chairman KP Sharma Oli to keep people's multiparty democracy as the party's guiding principle.
"The party's official committee has taken decision. The central committee has endorsed it and the secretariat has signed on it," Sharma stated about the political document that has included socialism-oriented people's democracy as the guiding principle in an interview with Setopati. "There were discussions even before unification. There was agreement to incorporate the positive aspects of the people's multiparty democracy, and the people's democracy for the 21
st century, and Maoism. What an individual says on whims is not a big deal."
The secretariat meeting of the ruling CPN on June 22 was stalled after Prime Minister (PM) Oli proposed to rewrite the political document and keep people's multiparty democracy as the party's guiding principle in the political document.
The political document prepared by a committee led by senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has kept socialism-oriented people's democracy as the party's ideology incorporating the people's multiparty democracy of the then CPN-UML and the people's democracy for the 21
st century of the then CPN (Maoist Center).
"It has already been passed in principle and there is no confusion about implementing that. But a few individuals have spoken against that to make one's faction strong, to serve one's interest and to get some posts. But that does not have any meaning in committee system," Sharma stressed.
He referred to the agreement between the two chairmen--Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal--to take turn as PM but was non-committal about the tenure of Oli's government. "The term of CPN's government is five years. There is no need to ask such question. Do ask the right question," Sharma stated. "The government's term is five years. How to run the government and what will be changed on the basis of necessities are not the main things."
There is a simmering tension between the two CPN chairmen after Dahal publicly reminded about the agreement to take turn with Oli as PM.
But Sharma downplayed it and said Dahal spoke about the issue, that was already published in a book, in the context of reminding everyone to not derail unification. "Chairman Dahal himself has said KP Oli can even lead the government for five years. That will be decided by the party. But the party's leadership will also take turn."
Sharma, who has been amongst the most vocal critics of the government, claimed that he is not criticizing the government to get the post of minister. "Let me disclose a fact to you. Both the chairmen had asked me to become minister before this government was formed but I declined saying I will work for unification of the party," he stated. "Does one need to speak to become minister here? One should not speak to become minister rather. One can become minister by remaining silent. One gets the post of minister for saying the government did a good job even when it commits mistake," he added with sarcasm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGwA24yahaI
He claimed that he has spoken about the people's feelings while criticizing the government. "The people are angry, sometimes in the name of guthi bill, and in the name of media bill and Public Service Commission at other times. I have spoken the people's feelings to ensure that there is no disillusionment in the people, and voters and supporters of CPN."
He also urged Netra Bikram Chand to renounce violence and start peaceful politics. He pointed that there is no need to again start a guerilla war to achieve socialism and stressed there is freedom to organize the people without weapons, lead them to protest and oppose the bad deeds of the state.
"It's alright if you see a need for a separate party. I do not have any problem with that but do move forward remaining within the boundaries of Constitution. There is a space to do that now. And again, one cannot achieve the revolution that you want by taking up weapons," he urged addressing Chand by his nom de guerre Biplav.
He also urged the government to not resort to extrajudicial killing in the name of controlling violence. "There are enough legal grounds to arrest if someone detonates bombs or fires guns. One need not ban the party for that. The law has given the government rights to take action."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMgJWFISPlE
He urged both Chand and the government to start dialogue. "Chand should come for dialogue and the government should also hold dialogue. He should openly do his activities. There are anomalies on both the sides now."
