Nepal's 3 Maoist parties join for anti-India campaign

Three Maoist parties in Nepal have come together for an anti-India protest, seeking the abrogation of all "unequal treaties" with New Delhi and withdrawal of Indian troops from disputed territories between the two neighbours.

A joint front of three ultra left parties - CPN-Maoist, Revolutionary Communist Party Nepal and Nepal Communist Party Unified has announced two-month long protests from February 8 to demand the abrogation of the landmark 1950 Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty and return of alleged encroached territory by India.

The CPN-Maoist led by Matrika Yadav, Revolutionary Communist Party Nepal led by Mani Thapa and Nepal Communist Party Unified led by Rishi Kattel are splinter groups of the main Opposition Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist headed by former prime minister Prachanda.

At a press conference in the capital yesterday, the Maoists announded their plan to hold protest in front of the Indian Embassy on March 12, apart from a nationwide general strike on April 24 and handing over a memorandum to prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on February 8. Their eight-point demands include annulment of all unequal treaties between Nepal and India, including 1950 treaty and withdrawal of Indian Army from the disputed Kalapani region, the tri-junction between Nepal, India and China.

They have also sought the return of alleged encroached land by India in Susta and ethnic and regional autonomy with right to self-determination.

UCPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda, who earlier accused India of "naked interference" in Nepal's internal affairs, has also demanded the scrapping of the 1950 Indo-Nepal Peace and Friendship Treaty along with all other "unequal" pacts with India and sought the ending of "special relationship" with its southern giant neighbour.