Nepal Maoists seek India's help

Maoists in Nepal Wednesday sought India's help in abolishing monarchy and establishing a republican set-up. "If India wants to help in establishing complete democracy in Nepal, it should not back the monarchy," Central Committee member of the CPN-Maoist and member of the Maoists talks team Dev Gurung said.

He said India should help in establishing a republican set-up. The senior Maoist leader also hoped that India would soon release Nepalese rebels serving jail terms there. "There will be doubt about the peace process unless all our cadres are released from jails in Nepal and India," he said.

He also demanded "suspension" of King Gyanendra for his role in suppressing the popular movement in April in which 22 people were killed.

"While the future of monarchy will be decided by the Constituent Assembly polls, the monarch should be suspended soon," he said without clarifying on what he meant by suspension. "As different security chiefs were sacked for using excessive power to crush the pro-democracy agitation, the King who ordered the security forces to use force should also be suspended," he argued. The Army chief should also have been suspended over the allegation, he said.