By IANS
Kathmandu : As Nepal recovers from serial blasts that killed two and injured over two dozen in Kathmandu, Maoists have begun blaming King Gyanendra’s followers for the violence saying the attacks were planned to sabotage the November election.
“Monarchy has degenerated into terrorism,” said the Janadesh weekly, the mouthpiece of the rebels that had been banned during the 10-year communist insurgency.
“The planning used in the Kathmandu attack smacks of terrorist training,” the weekly said in its front-page report Tuesday, two days after the Sunday blasts. “In Kathmandu, the palace alone has such capability.”
“In the past, these regressive elements had targeted the Maoist party office, homes of civil society leaders and other critical areas.”
The weekly is alleging that one of the 26 people injured in the blasts, a soldier of the Nepal Army, was involved in planting the bombs fitted with timers.
“When it became known that one of the bombs had exploded in the hands of a Nepal Army soldier, a group called Madhesi Army (sic) claimed responsibility”, the Maoist mouthpiece said.
The communist rebels are alleging that the blasts were part of the strategy planned by royalists to prevent elections from taking place on Nov 22.
For the first time in Nepal’s history, the constituent assembly election in November will see voters choosing between monarchy and a republic.
After the blasts, the rebels have stepped up their campaign for the abolition of monarchy before the election.
Last month, Maoist supremo Prachanda laid down 22 demands before the government, saying they should be implemented to create an environment conducive to free and fair polls.
The guerrillas, who had earlier agreed to let the election decide the fate of Nepal’s 238-year monarchy, are now asking the government to use a constitutional provision that says monarchy can be abolished if two-thirds of the MPs approve the measure.
They say the king would try his best to scuttle the election and therefore should be stripped of his throne before it, a proposal that is being opposed by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala as well as the international community.
Though the government said it would hold the election at any cost and stepped up security measures, the blasts in the capital showed up the failure of the state intelligence and security services.
Four obscure groups have claimed responsibility for the synchronised attacks. Of them, three claim to be from the Terai plains, that have become the new hub of violence in Nepal following a deep rift between the elite hill community and the plains people.
However, the claims have been met with scepticism.
Peace and Information Minister Ram Chandra Poudel said they could be a red herring to divert the government’s attention.
A day before Janadesh’s allegations against the palace and army, another daily, said to be close to the Maoists, also made the same allegations.
The government, however, has chosen to ignore the allegations so far.