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Prachanda sends strong signal to Indian Maoists to shun arms
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NewsByte on 18 May, 2008 06:33:00
 
Kathmandu: Sending a strong message to Maoists in India to shun violence,
Prachanda on Saturday said that the Leftist rebels' electoral triumph in Nepal
should make them understand the difference between ballot and bullet.
"Our behaviour, our policy, our practice itself strongly gave the message to
the Maoists of India. Though, we don't want to directly address them, the
benefit we have got, the difference of ballot and bullet has already sent a
message," the Maoist chief told in an interview with a private news channel.
Prachanda, believed to be Nepal's prime minister-in- waiting, was asked what
advice he would give to the Maoists in India. "There should be a serious
discussion in the matter inside the Maoists of India. A strong message has
already gone to the Maoists of India and Maoists all over the world about our
victory," said the 53-year-old CPN-Maoist chief, who led a decade-long armed
struggle against monarchy before joining political mainstream in 2006.
Asked whether he would like India to persuade the US to take the Maoists off
the terror list, said "I won't request them but expect them to do it". "In fact,
we already have contact with the US administration," he said. (PTI)