Saturday, September 20, 2008

Matrika's resignation approved by Prachanda

Prime Minister Prachanda has approved the resignation of land reforms minister Matrika Yadav, who is a central leader of the PM's party, CPN (Maoist).

According to physical planning minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhedar, PM Preachanda informed the ministers during the cabinet meeting Saturday that Yadav's resignation had been approved. The vacant portfolio will be held by the PM until he appoints a new minister.

Yesterday, the PM had said Yadav would face action as he refused the party's direction for self-criticism for his recent action concerning the seizure of private land in Mirchaiya of Siraha. Yadav instead decided to quit the post than to regret for his action.

Few days earlier, the land reforms minister had led a team of Maoist cadres who snapped up the land owned by one Birendra Shah in Michaiya, and settled Dalits and poor local people in it. Police had earlier evicted them from Shah's land.

A meeting of the Maoist central secretariat yesterday decided to take action against the minister, but didn't reveal what the action would be.

Meanwhile, today's cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar Saturday discussed the PM's visit to New York to attend the 63rd session of the UN general assembly.

The meeting also discussed the immediate administrative activities to be undertaken on the basis of the existing laws, law minister Dev Gurung said.

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