Hindu Supremists Stage Attack in Nepal

Thanks to Green-Red for this post.

Two killed in Nepal blast as PM vote nears
By Gopal Sharma
Reuters Saturday, May 23, 2009; 2:09 AM

KATHMANDU (Reuters) – Two people were killed and at least a dozen wounded when an explosion ripped through a church near the Nepali capital on Saturday, police said, hours before the country’s parliament was set to elect a new prime minister.

The blast hit the Dhobighat suburb in Lalitpur, an adjoining town 4 km (3 miles) south of Kathmandu.

“The wounded people have been rushed to a local hospital and we are investigating,” superintendent of police Kedarman Singh Bhandari said. Police cordoned off the area, which was strewn with shattered window panes.

There was no claim of responsibility but a little-known Hindu group, the Nepal Defense Army, threw pamphlets around the site demanding Nepal be declared a Hindu state. Nepal became a secular state three years ago after a decade-long civil war ended.

Nepal’s parliament was due to choose a new prime minister later on Saturday after Maoist leader Prachanda resigned amid a row over his plan to fire his army chief.

Former Maoist rebel leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who still uses his nom de guerre Prachanda, meaning “fierce,” resigned on May 4 after President Ram Baran Yadav stopped him from firing General Rookmangud Katawal.

Prachanda accused Katawal of undermining the civilian government.

A loose alliance of 23 political parties is backing moderate communist Madhav Kumar Nepal for the job. Party officials said his election was a mere formality because the coalition controlled nearly 360 members in the 601-seat parliament.

He is from the moderate Communist UML party, second biggest group in the alliance, and is known for his ability to negotiate with rivals.

Prachanda: New Nepal as a Puppet State?

This article was published on Nepal News.

Dahal vents ire at former allies; says new govt might just be a ‘puppet’

Outgoing Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said Friday that it is quite possible the new coalition government will be a puppet of reactionaries and different power centres.

Addressing the parliament, Dahal alleged the partners of the new UML-led coalition of engaging in a dirty game as they try to install a new government. Describing the exercise to form the new government as part of a ‘counter-revolution’, the Maoist chief said those “rejected by the people” are now being placed at the helm.

The caretaker Prime Minister in his speech repeatedly questioned the morality of other political parties alleging them of not being able to stand for sovereignty, integrity and unity of the nation.

Dahal, who spent most of his time criticising other parties, said former allies betrayed him in the army chief episode. The parties, according to him, had agreed to take action against the army chief, but later they did a complete about face.