India and Nepal Maoists deny mutual ties
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, May 26, IRNA
India-Nepal
India and Nepal Maoists on Wednesday denied they have nothing to do with each other.
With this denial, Nepal's politics has become an irritating episode in India's international politics.
Baburam Bhattarai, the Maoist leader who earlier headed a parallel government described attempts to describe as pro-India as a "move to break the current anti-monarchy agitation."
Bhattarai earlier had been accused by the Maoist hardliners as being soft on New Delhi after he insisted on fighting the king first before taking on India in the wake of February 1 palace coup.
The Royal Nepalese Army on May 20 released an audiotape in which Maoist chairman Pushpakamal Dahal talks about how India pressed his party to withdraw disciplinary action taken against Bhattarai.
A statement issued by Bhattarai said, "It's shocking that questions are being raised about the patriotism of a person like me who has written a doctoral thesis which says Nepal's all-round development is not possible as long as all unequal treaties signed between it and India are not updated in a progressive manner.
Bhattarai added, "To call someone a foreign agent immediately after differences over ideological matters is the height of political bankruptcy."
Indian embassy spokesman Sanjay Verma remarked, "Our position on the Nepalese Maoists has not changed. We want them to eschew violence and return to the mainstream."
India calls the Maoists terrorists.
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::IRNA No.040 26/05/2005 15:57 --End
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