Nepal general denies coup claims
By Rabindra Mishra
BBC Nepali service editor, Kathmandu
"It was my responsibility to accept the task to which I was assigned after the army chief was removed"
Gen Kul Bahadur Khadka
The Nepalese general who was appointed acting army chief by former Maoist PM Prachanda has denied allegations that he was planning to stage a coup.
Recently retired Gen Kul Bahadur Khadka has been accused of plotting the move with the help of the Maoist rebels.
He was at the centre of tensions between the army and the Maoists 12 weeks ago when Prachanda sacked the army chief, Rukmangad Katuwal.
That decision was reversed by the president and led to Prachanda’s fall.
He resigned as prime minister in protest at the decision.
Powerful faction
Speaking exclusively to the BBC, Gen Khadka said he never got a chance to command the troops.
He said a powerful faction within the army was intent on bringing him down and a group of generals had gone to the extent of collecting signatures against him.
At the height of the tension, there was even a front page report in a leading newspaper saying that Gen Rukmangad Katuwal and Gen Khadka were both preparing for separate coups.
Maoist Prime Minister Prachanda eventually sacked Gen Katuwal and appointed Gen Khadka, despite strong protests from almost all parties in the parliament.
But the President and Supreme Commander of the Army, Ram Baran Yadav, reversed the government’s decision on the same day Gen Khadka was appointed. The president then reinstated the sacked army chief.
Gen Khadka insisted in his interview with the BBC that he had done nothing wrong.
"It was my responsibility to accept the task to which I was assigned after the army chief was removed," he said.
"Had I said no, it would have been a betrayal to the country."
Gen Khadka said the controversy regarding the proposed integration of the Maoist fighters into the Nepalese army had to be resolved at a political level.
He said it would be better if the army spoke about it only after the issue had been discussed thoroughly by the politicians.</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
July 9th, 2009 at 03:00
Dear Mr. Rabindra Mishra !
I extend thanks that you have been contributing the very creative activities about Nepalese motherland. I am reading your many articles uncluding Nepal-weekly from the begining.
Dear Mr.Mishra ! The reality is that Maoists are going to establish anarchism by money and guns constitutes the essence of power. Maoists want to destroy the system of the court as well as the norms of national Army for the interest of India & UNMIN. To dismiss Gen Rookmangud Katawal is the grand-design of Maoist to establish one-party anarchism. The Maoists are harboring anarchy by violating democratic norms and attacking state institutions on all fronts. In the name of people supremacy they are going to disturb the government offices as well as the central secretariat Singhdarabar also. But their addressing is wrong. The lawlessness, theft, robbery and killing is the by-product of Maoists YCL. Nepalese people have been seen so many criminals and anarchists enjoying impunity. A person does not feel safe to travel. Crime, corruption and scarcity of goods, political and social malpractices are increasing day by day.
Similarly, the intention of India is very mistrustful for Nepal’s sovereignty. Now, Indian government (Congress I ) is going to support the pro-Indian’s parties – Nepali-Congress,UML, Madhisis to format the new Govt. On the other hand, Indian intelligence service Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) wants to support the Maoists’s hypocrisy to institutionalized anarchism in Nepal. India is carrying the double role to intervene in Nepal. It was a great blunder of Indian officials who not only blundered in their assessment of Maoist but also did much harm to Indian’s interests in Nepal. So, I hope & request to all democratic leaders and the country like America, British and UE to establish peace and democracy in Nepal.
Please, reply me with comment.
Thank you.
Your sincerely yours
Dirgha Raj Prasai
Kathmandu
Phone No- 977-1-4770149