Nepali Congress General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma has claimed that the people were in the center of the National Unity and Reconciliation Day introduced by the founding president of Nepali Congress, BP Koirala.
Speaking at a program organized by the former government employees in Kathmandu on Tuesday, General Secretary Sharma said, "People were in the center of reconciliation introduced by BP Koirala, not the king. It was an indicative of a power balance during that the period."
After BP, the people were in the center even during the 2062/063 BS, when NC reached a 12-point agreement with the then Maoist rebels.
"After BP, Girija Prasad (GP) Koirala reached a 12-point agreement with the then Maoist rebels in 2062 BS," said Sharma," the Maoist rebels were not in the center even during that period, but the people."
During that period, BP had reached an agreement with the king on the condition that the monarch would abide by the parliamentary political system. Likewise, GP also signed the agreement with the then Maoist rebels on the condition that they would adhere to the principles of parliamentary democracy. The primary goal of both the agreements was to safeguard the rights of the people.
Dismissing the rumors that NC is following CPN (Maoist Center), Sharma said had it followed the Maoist Center, it would have participated in the armed insurgency, leaving the peaceful politics.
He further stated, "Now we have been able to bring the then Maoist rebels into the peaceful parliamentary political system, with their weapons securely stored in the cantonment sites."
The former Maoist rebels have now opted for the ballet box, renouncing the use of force, in their pursuit of state power thanks to the NC's initiative, Sharma added.
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