Nepal Communist Party (NCP) was created through the merger of two erstwhile left forces –CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre but NCP is still fraught with the legacy of ‘People’s War’ (Janayuddha) that catapulted the Maoist party to the centre stage of national politics. But many ex-UML cadres find it difficult to go with the term ‘Janayuddha’ that is so dear to ex-Maoists. The other day, the NCP leaders Janardan Sharma and Surya Thapa locked horns over it when they attended a function at Chaurajhari of Rukum that is the origin of the Maoist violent conflict. Thapa, who is also press advisor to the Prime Minister, blew a fuse when he saw a banner with the terms Janayuddha Diwas (‘people’s war’ day). He said the party decided to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Janaandolan (people’s movement) and the people’s war’ but not to observe the people’s war day. However, many participants from the ex-Maoist group showed their displeasure over Thapa’s objection to the phrase ‘people’s war day’.
Delivering his reactive comment, Sharma, also former commander of Maoist militia, accused Thapa of foiling the party unity and warned him to stop spitting venom against the former Maoists. Their public argy-bargy just indicates how difficult the integration of two forces that came from opposite ideological schooling is.
By RRS