It does not make sense to say that an armed Biplav has joined the peace process: Yogesh Bhattarai

BIRATNAGAR: Yogesh Bhattarai, leader of the Prachanda-Madhav group of the CPN has said that the CPN led by Netra Bikram Chand cannot enter the peace process while carrying weapons. He further added that the agreement reached between the government and Biplav did not disclose the issue of arms and combatants, adding that it would not make sense for them to enter the peace process in such a situation.

However, Bhattarai welcomed the agreement reached between the government and the Biplav politically. Speaking to local media persons in Biratnagar today, Bhattarai said, “It is politically welcome for Biplav, which has been carrying out violent activities through talks between the government and the revolution, to enter the mainstream peace process. But concealment of weapons and combatant management has raised suspicions of fraud and secret dealings between the government and the revolution.”

He claimed that there was a lot of skepticism in the talks and consensus, adding that everything would be clarified in the future by the actions and behavior of both the parties.

Recalling that the management of arms and combatants was also terminated when the Maoists entered the peace process after the armed people’s war, Bhattarai stressed on the need to expedite the process as the agreement reached between the government and Biplav did not clearly state the issue of arms and combatants.

He also expressed concern over the agreement between Prime Minister Oli and Biplav, suspecting that the agreement was carried out for personal gain.