Farewell for combatants: Cooperate: Dahal tells fighters.
- Commanders seek tax exemption in cash package
UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has directed commanders of the Maoist army to cooperate with the Special Committee in bidding farewell to combatants opting for voluntary retirement from Tuesday.
The instruction comes two days after the prime minister-led committee decided to send home the combatants. Dahal on Sunday invited PLA Chief Nanda Kishore Pun and commanders of all the seven divisions of the PLA at his residence.
“People from various political quarters are blaming us for the obstruction in the peace process. We must bid farewell to combatants opting for voluntary retirement to end the false impression and demonstrate our commitment towards the peace process,” Maoist Politburo member Haribol Gajurel quoted Dahal as telling the commanders. During the discussions, the commanders said the party should ensure that the government does not make taxable the cash package of Rs 500,000 to Rs 800,000 to be offered to the retiring combatants. The package is subject to income tax, but a formal decision of the Ministry of Finance could make it non-taxable, a ministry official said.
The commanders also recommended that the Special Committee provide appreciation letters to the combatants. Non-Maoist parties are against providing any such certificate for the fighters.
PLA Spokesperson Chandra Prakash Khanal said the commanders are positive about supporting the farewell decision. “There has been an understanding to take this process forward. I think technical preparations will take some time but the Special Committee Secretariat’s team will reach cantonments this week to start the process,” he said.
During their interaction with the party chairman, the commanders stressed that the integration process can only move forward once ranks to be offered to them are decided at the political level. “Almost all of them criticised the party for adopting a flexible stance and providing concessions,” added Gajurel, an aide to Dahal.
Dahal said he will give priority to settling the rank issue before taking the integration process forward.
Meanwhile, the Special Committee Secretariat has started technical preparations, including opening bank accounts, for paying the 7,365 combatants opting for voluntary retirement. The ‘technical process,’ including requirement of a signature of a government official in the cheque books, is likely to delay the farewell process. “The Peace and Reconstruction Ministry released the cash in the Secretariat’s name yesterday. We are holding discussions with banks,” said Secretariat member Sanandan Prasad Kurmi. “As tomorrow is a public holiday, I think we will complete the preparations by Tuesday.”
Posted on: 2012-01-30 08:45
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