Nepal, Maoists to form ‘states’

Stepping up their confrontation against the government, Maoists in Nepal have decided to declare 13 autonomous states as part of their agitation to restore ‘civilian supremacy’, reports Utpal Parashar.

Updated on: Nov 28, 2009, 24:29:28 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Stepping up their confrontation against the government, Maoists in Nepal have decided to declare 13 autonomous states as part of their agitation to restore ‘civilian supremacy’.

Although formation of states is to be decided by the constituent assembly, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has decided to announce declaration of such states between December 11 and 18.

“The decision to declare autonomous states was taken to put pressure on the government for formation of such provinces,” stated UCPM-(Maoist) Vice-Chairman Baburam Bhattarai.

The Maoists have already launched the third phase of their agitation against the coalition government of Madhav Kumar Nepal. It would end on December 22 with a three-day general strike across the country.

They had proposed to declare autonomous states during the second phase of their agitation that ended earlier this month, but the move was postponed due to lack of preparations.

After a meeting of the United National People’s Movement, a wing of UCPN (Maoist), it was decided that 11 of the proposed states would be based on ethnicity and two on topography.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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