कोइरालाको नाम नोबल शान्ति पुरस्कारका लागि सिफारिश

मन्त्रिपरिषद्को बैठकले पूर्वप्रधानमन्त्री तथा नेपाली कांग्रेसका सभापति गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाको नाम सिफारिश गर्ने निर्णय गरेको छ। त्यसैगरी मानवअधिकार उल्लंघनको आरोपमा बढुवा नगर्न दबाब परिरहेका नेपाली सेनाका उपरथी तोरण जंगबहादुर सिंहलाई पनि बढुवा गर्ने निर्णय सरकारले गरेको छ।

घाइते डीएसपीलाई दाहालपत्‍नी र हिसिलाले भेटे

पुस ९- आमहड्तालको सुरक्षामा खटिएका प्रहरी नायव निरीक्षक दिलीप चौधरीमाथि नियोजित आक्रमण गरेको आरोप लागेको एकीकृत माओवादीका दुई नेतृ बुधबार जुस र फलफूल बोकेर उनको स्वास्थ्यलाभको कामना गर्न अस्पताल पुगे। न्युरो अस्पताल बाँसबारीमा उपचार गराइरहेका चौधरीसँग भलाकुसारी नभए पनि उनीहरूले पत्नीलाई भेटे र पार्टीको पार्टीको सन्देश सुनाए।हातमा फलफूल र जुस बोक्दै आक्रमणमा पार्टी संलग्न नभएको सन्देश बोकेर माओवादी अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाल पत्नी सीता र माओवादी उपाध्यक्ष डा. बाबुराम भट्टराईकी पत्नी तथा माओवादी नेतृ हिसिला यमी बुधबार छुट्टाछुट्टै अस्पताल पुगेका थिए। अस्पताल स्रोतका अनुसार यमी बिहानै पाँच सयको दुई बट्टा जुस किनेर अस्पताल पुगेकी थिइन् भने सीता मध्याह्न ११ बजे फलफूल बोकेर।

माओवादी आमहड्तालको पहिलो दिन नयाँ बानेश्वर क्षेत्रको कमान्ड सम्हालिरहेका चौधरी अल्झेर लडेपछि प्रदर्शनकारीले इँट्टा र रडले हानेर मरणासन्न पारेपछि प्रहरीका उच्च अधिकारीले आक्रमण नियोजित भएको बताएका थिए। चौधरी भेट्न पुगेका नेतृले भने आक्रमणमा पार्टी संलग्न नभएको परिवारलाई बताए। यमी पुग्दा चौधरी निदाएकाले कुराकानी भएन। स्वास्थ्यमा सुधार आएपछि आइसियुबाट क्याबिनमा सारिएका उनलाई टाढैवाट हेरेर यमीले पत्नीसँग उनको स्वास्थ्य अवस्थाबारे जिज्ञासा राखेकी थिइन्। जुस चौधरी पत्नीलाई दिँदै उनले भनिन्, 'अहिले कस्तो छ?' प्रतिउत्तरमा पत्नीले पहिलाभन्दा सञ्चो भएको बताइन्।

अस्पताल स्रोतका अनुसार यमीले चौधरीमाथि भएको आक्रमणप्रति दुःखमनाउ गरेकी थिइन्। उनले भनिन्, 'माओवादीले नियोजित रूपमा आक्रमण गरेको भन्दै प्रचार भएको छ, तर उहाँमाथि हाम्रो पार्टीले आक्रमण गरेको हैन, त्यो दुर्घटना मात्र हो।' उनले घटना अत्यन्त दुखपूर्ण रहेको बताउँदै चाँडै सञ्चो हुन शुभकामना दिइन्। माओवादी अध्यक्ष दाहाल आफैं चौधरीको स्वास्थ्य अवस्थाबारे बुझ्न जाने चर्चा भए पनि करिब ११ बजे दाहालपत्नी सीता अध्यक्षको सन्देशबाहक बनेर अस्पताल पुगिन्। चिकित्सकहरूले घाइते चौधरीलाई कुरा नगर्न सचेत गराएकाले सीताले चौधरीपत्नीसँगै भलाकुसारी गर्दै अध्यक्ष दाहालको सन्देश सुनाएकी थिइन्। अस्पताल स्रोतका अनुसार सीताले घटनाप्रति दुखमनाउ गर्दै 'अध्यक्ष दाहालले शिघ्र स्वास्थ्यलाभको कामना गर्नुभएको छ' भनेर सन्देश सुनाइन्। प्रहरीले बानेश्वर घटनाको अनुसन्धानका लागि मंगलबार कार्य विभागका प्रमुख प्रहरी अतिरिक्त महानिरीक्षक किरणकुमार गौतमको अध्यक्षतामा छानबिन समिति गठन गरेको थियो।

दुई दिन आइसियुमा राखेर हालै क्याबिनमा सारिएका चौधरीको स्वास्थ्यमा सुधार आइरहेको छ। धारिलो हतियार प्रहारबाट टाउकोमा छवटा गम्भीर चोट लागेका चौधरीको शल्यक्रिया गरी ४५ वटा टाँका लगाइएकाले उनी बोल्न सक्ने अवस्थामा छैनन्। आफन्तका अनुसार टाउकोभरि पट्टी बेरिएका उनी बोल्दा दुख्ने भएकाले घाउ निको नभएसम्म नबोल्न चिकित्सकहरूले सुझाव दिएका छन्। चौधरीले परिवारका सदस्यसँग सामान्य कुराकानी गर्ने गरेका छन्। परिवारका अनुसार बुधबारदेखि चौधरीले खाना खान सुरु गरेका छन्।

नक्कली नोट छाप्ने कारखानामा प्रहरी छापा

ठूलो संख्यामा नेपाली र भारतीय नोट बरामद, भारतीय नागरिक पक्राउ-
काठमाडौँ, पुस ९ (नागरिक)- ललितपुरको बाँडेगाउँमा नक्कली नोट छाप्ने कारखानामा प्रहरीले छापा मारेको छ। घटनास्थलमा ठूलो परिमाणमा नेपाली तथा भारतीय नोट र नक्कली नोट छाप्ने मेसिननसहित एक भारतीय नागरिकलाई प्रहरीले नियन्त्रणमा लिएको नागरिकन्युजकर्मी केपी ढुंगानाले महानगरीय प्रहरी आयुक्तका प्रमुख मदन खड्कालाई उद‍धृत गर्दै जनाएका छन्। एआईजी खड्काका अनुसार विशेष सुराकीका आधारमा ललितपुर प्रहरी परिसरका एसपी विक्रम थापाको कमान्डमा घटनास्थललाई चारैतिरबाट घेरा हाली प्रहरीले छापा मारेको थियो। घटनास्थलबाट प्रहरीले भारतीय नागरिक जहाँगिर सेख हकितलाई नियन्त्रणमा लिएको छ। प्रहरीले यस विषयमा थप अनुसन्धान गरिरहेको र भोलि पत्रकार सम्मेलन गरी उनलाई सार्वजनिक गर्ने बताएको छ।

चर्को भाषण प्रहसनमा सीमित

माओवादी अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाल राष्ट्रिय शक्तिहरूसँग नगरी सोझै नयाँ दिल्लीसँग वार्ता गर्ने र त्यसको सुरूवात् मंगलबार नयाँ बानेश्वरको जनसभाबाट भएको घोषणा गरेको केही घन्टामै आफूलाई सच्याउन बाध्य भएका छन्। उनले विदेशीका 'नोकर, कठपुतली र रोबोट' नामले पुकारेका प्रधानमन्त्रीसँग केही घन्टाभित्रै भेटवार्ता गरेर जनमानससामू गरेको चर्को भाषणलाई आफैं व्यंग्य गरेका छन् र भेटवार्तालाई गोप्य राखेर नागरिक सर्वोच्चताका नाममा नागरिकलाई अन्धकारमा राख्न खोजेका छन्। आफ्नो राष्ट्रियताविरोधी घोषणा जिम्मेवार, सम्मानजनक र आकर्षक रूपमा फिर्ता लिने साहस भने उनले गरेनन्। बरू आफ्नो अभिव्यक्तिलाई गलत तरिकाले बुझिएको टिप्पणी गर्दै उनले भारतसँग वार्ता गर्ने घोषणालाई परोक्षरूमा फिर्ता लिएका छन्।

केही घन्टा पनि टिक्न नसक्ने भाषण गर्नु र त्यस्तो भाषण गर्न पार्टीको नेतृत्व पंक्तिबाट भारतविरोधी नीति पारित गर्नु माओवादीको अपरिपक्व र उत्तेजक व्यवहार हो। यसको सिकार माओवादी आफैं भएको छ। बानेश्वर आमसभामा सरिक हजारौंहजार कार्यकर्ता/समर्थक र त्यसको समाचार हेर्ने लाखौं नागरिकले देखे-सुनेको आफ्नो भाषणलाई अध्यक्ष दाहालले एउटा प्रहसनमा सीमित गरिदिएका छन्। नेपालका शक्तिहरूले निर्णय गर्न नसकेको भन्दै भारतसँग वार्ता गर्ने भनेर आफूले गरेको घोषणा व्यंग्यात्मक टिप्पणीमात्र भएको उनले स्पष्टीकरण दिन खोजेका छन्। यसबाट उनी हलुका साबित भएका त छन् नै, संविधानसभाको ठूलो दलका प्रमुख नेताको विश्वसनीयता पनि पिँधमा पुर्‍याइदिएका छन्।

विशाल जनसभा देखेर उनी बहकिएका पनि पक्कै होइनन्। उनको पार्टीले सत्ता समीकरण फेर्न नयाँ दिल्लीलाई दबाव दिनुपर्ने आशयसाथ 'राष्ट्रियता'को मुद्दालाई प्राथमिकता दिने हालैमात्र निर्णय गरेको थियो। नेपाली राष्ट्रियतालाई भारत विरोधका रूपमा विकास गर्न चाहने पञ्चायतकालीन दर्शनसँग मिल्दो धारणा प्रकट गरेर दाहालले जुन वैचारिक दरिद्रता र सचेत तथा जागरूक नेपालीको हुर्मत लिन खोजेका थिए, त्यो बेलुनको हावा खुस्केको मात्र हो। दिल्ली जाने आकाशे फल पन्छाएर संसदमा फर्किने व्यावहारिक निर्णयमा माओवादी पुग्ने निर्णय जिम्मेवारपूर्ण छ। तिनले अब संविधानसभा र व्यवस्थापिकामार्फत आफूलाई ठूलो दलको दायित्वपूर्ण भूमिकामा समर्पित गर्न सक्नुपर्छ। उत्तेजक सडक भाषणबाट न संविधान बन्छ, न नयाँ नेपाल बन्छ, न नेपाल सार्वभौम हुन सक्छ, न नागरिक स्वतन्त्रता कायम हुनसक्छ।

राष्ट्रपतिको कदमबारे छलफल गर्न नपाउनु माओवादीको प्रमुख समस्या हो भने त्यसका लागि सरकारविरूद्ध संकल्प प्रस्ताव ल्याउने संवैधानिक बाटो खुला छ। अन्य संवैधानिक तथा राजनीतिक उपाय पनि पहिल्याउन सकिन्छ, त्यसका लागि उसले संविधानसभाजस्तो ऐतिहासिक जननिर्वाचित थलोकै आश्रय लिनुपर्छ, विदेशको होइन। आन्तरिक रूपमा बलियो लोकतान्त्रिक देशको मात्र राष्ट्रियता बलियो हुन्छ, त्यस्तो देशको मात्र राष्ट्रिय स्वाधिनता स्थापित हुनसक्छ र त्यस्तो देशमा मात्र नागरिक सर्वोच्चता कायम हुन सक्छ भन्ने ख्याल गर्नु माओवादीका लागि अपरिहार्य छ। संविधानसभाका विषयवस्तुप्रति मात्र जागरण अभियान अहिलेको आवश्यकता हो। संविधानसभाभित्रै सभासद्हरूको कठिन परिश्रमसहितको गृहकार्य र छलफल अर्को आवश्यकता हो, न कि जनताले कष्ट पाउने राष्ट्रिय आम हड्ताल। माओवादी उत्तेजनाको चरम विन्दुबाट संसदतर्फ फर्किएको छ। यो उसको स्वीकारोक्ति हो भने नेपाली राष्ट्रियता र लोकतन्त्रका लागि यो सुखद् सन्देश हो।

Italian prime minister in hospital after attack

MILAN: A man with a history of mental health problems attacked Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Sunday, knocking out two of his teeth and forcing him to be rushed to hospital with a blood-splattered face. Television pictures showed the 73-year-old prime minister in the midst of a crowd following a political rally in his native Milan, when suddenly a man lunged and took a swing at Berlusconi’s face. Blood splattered across his face, aides bundled Berlusconi into a car and rushed him from the scene in the northern industrial city.Police later charged a 42-year-old man with aggravated assault for hurling a miniature replica of Milan’s gothic cathedral at Berlusconi, the ANSA news agency said.

The prime minister was examined and treated at the emergency room at the San Raffaele Hospital, where a hospital spokesman said he had two teeth knocked out, a small fracture to his nose, cuts on the inside and outside of his upper lip and bruises to his face.“From a clinical point of view, everything’s fine, but there’s a need for an observation period of one or two days,” said Dr Alberto Zangrillo, head of the emergency room at the San Raffaele Hospital here.Berlusconi would probably not require any operation, he added. “I’m fine, I’m fine,” the billionaire prime minister was quoted as saying by ANSA as he left the emergency room.

The suspected assailant, Massimo Tartaglia, had a 10-year history of mental health problems, ANSA said. His psychotherapist was summoned to the police station where he was being held, the agency added. Television pictures showed the police protecting a dazed-looking Tartaglia from an angry crowd as they took him into custody. He was found in possession of a crucifix and teargas, ANSA reported. Scuffles broke out after about 10 people jeered Berlusconi at the rally of his People of Freedom party, calling him a “clown”.

He shouted back at them “shame on you”, drowning them out with the help of the sound system.

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said he “strongly condemned” the attack. Berlusconi was the victim of a similar assault several years ago in Rome when a young man hit him with a camera tripod, cutting his head.

The flamboyant prime minister has come under increasing pressure in recent months over his private life and business affairs. On Friday he dismissed accusations of Mafia ties made by a turncoat criminal at an Italian court as “a farce”. Berlusconi, who began his third stint as prime minister in May last year, said he would not bow to pressure to go to the polls early.A series of allegations about his private life this year led his wife Veronica Lario to file for divorce. Lario, 53, is seeking 43 million euros a year.

4 dead in Baghdad blasts

An Iraqi police officer stands next to a damaged police vehicle, south of the capital Baghdad.

BAGHDAD: Three car bombs in quick succession during peak morning rush hour in the centre of Baghdad on Tuesday killed at least four people and injured 14, an Iraqi interior ministry official said. The first car bomb exploded near the Iranian embassy around 7.30 am (0530 GMT), the second minutes later near the foreign ministry and the third soon after near the ministry for emigres and displaced persons. The car bombings were the fourth wave of coordinated attacks in four months to target official buildings in the Iraqi capital despite the security measures in place. On August 19 a double suicide attack against the foreign and finance ministries killed 106 people and injured some 600.

On October 25 it was the turn of the justice ministry and a provincial office, with the blasts killing 153 people and injuring more than 500. And on December 8 five attacks in Baghdad killed 127 and injured 448. Tuesday's blasts, near the highly protected "Green Zone" where the US and British embassies are located as well as the Iraq prime minister's office, come just days after senior officials were grilled by lawmakers over the series of blasts to strike the capital. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki appeared before parliament last week, where he criticised lawmakers for failing to provide enough money for security. Lawmakers instead pointed to a lack of coordination between ministries.

The commander of US forces in Iraq, General Ray Odierno, recently predicted a rise in the number of attacks ahead of legislative elections scheduled for March 7, and said that he could request Washington to slow down the withdrawal of US troops from the country if necessary. US combat troops are due to leave Iraq by August 2010. Some 115,000 US troops are currently serving in Iraq.

PM's jumbo team raises questions

KATHMANDU: PM Madhav Kumar Nepal today left for Copenhagen, Denmark — the venue for the United Nations Climate Change Conference — leading a 43-member jumbo team. Altogether, 80 Nepali delegates are taking part in the global summit since a 40-member team already reached the Danish capital earlier last week. The PM is accompanied by his wife Gayatri, some ministers, lawmakers and three advisors — foreign affairs advisor Rajan Bhattarai, chief political advisor Raghuji Panta and press advisor Bishnu Rijal — a few officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), chief secretary Madhav Prasad Ghimire and security personnel. Interacting with mediapersons at the Tribhuwan International Airport ahead of his departure, the PM said that he would raise the concerns of the impact of climate change on the Himalayas and other parts of the nation. The PM will address the conference on Wednesday. However, he has been allotted only three minutes to highlight his nation’s plight. He will get to interact with Indian PM Dr Man Mohan Singh and other world leaders on the sidelines of the meet. MoFA officials maintained that the jumbo team was a “sheer misuse of tax payers’ money” since the nation has been allocated only six seats at the summit, which is taking place at Bella Convention Centre.

“The strength of the delegation should not have exceeded more than 20,” he said. A PM’s aide, however, claimed that the government would not pick up the tab for all the delegates. “The government will only foot the bills for the PM and his wife. While, DFID, WWF and other international development organisations will bear the other delegates’ expenses,” he explained. Simon Lucas, climate change advisor, DFID-Nepal, said that his organisation had funded the trip for 38 members. “Though we’re yet to calculate the total expenditure, we’re likely to spend $1, 30,000. Besides we paid for so many delegates since we wanted Nepal to make a good impression,” he said. The ministers, lawmakers and government officials are in the eye of the storm for taking part in the meet at international bodies’ expense.

“It’s unethical on their part,” said a MoFA official. “It was unnecessary to include three advisors to the PM, chief secretary, several ministers and lawmakers,” he added. In fact, Nepali delegates outnumber that from neighbouring India and China. While, India has sent 34 delegates, China allowed only 38.

Passenger bus accounts for 13 lives

POKHARA: Thirteen people were killed and 37 others injured when a Pokhara-bound overloaded passenger bus skidded off, and plunged 150 metres below into a gorge in Sarangkot VDC-1 around 10 this morning. The vehicle, which had 52 passengers on board, was coming from Kaskikot. The victims are mostly residents of Kaskikot and Sarangkot VDCs. The injured are undergoing treatment at Manipal Teaching Hospital, Eastern Regional Hospital and Charak Hospital in the Lake City. Some are still unconscious due to concussion. District Police Office, Kaski, said that two patients have been sent to the capital for treatment. The police are suspecting that the accident might have occurred due to brake failure. Locals took part in rescue operations, helping the injured to be ferried to the hospitals.

Victims

• Gopal Giri (58) fromKaskikot VDC-2

• Gopi Sunar (55) from Kaskikot VDC-2

• Kopilmani (55) from Sarangkot VDC-5

• Krishna Bahadur Thapa (49) from Sarangkot VDC-7

• Girimaya Sunar (45) from KaskikotVDC-2

• Setu Tripathi (60) from Kaskikot VDC-6

• Bimala Timilsena (21) fromKaskikot VDC-3

• Mina Karki (35) fromKaskikot VDC-6

• Shiva Giri (24) from Kaskikot VDC-8,

• Sudarshan Shrestha (3) from Kaskikot VDC-8

• Bimala Karki (16) from Kaskikot VDC-6

• Tej Bahadur Karki (45) from Kaskikot VDC-6

• Manoj Nepali (48) from Kaskikot VDC-8