Morning starter: Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Good morning and a Happy New Year. Here’s a summary of important, ignored and  interesting reports from last night

Important

NCP classifies journalists as comrade-in-arms, members of the bourgeoisie

The ruling Nepal Communist Party has classified Nepali journalists into two categories: comrade-in-arms and the members of the bourgeoisie. The classification came to light after the party organised an ‘oath-taking’ ceremony for journalists at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar. The journalists present took an oath to protect the government and the party. During the event, NCP chief Prachanda said, “It is unfortunate that the information technology is in the hands of the bourgeoisie. We need to win this war. I look at your force as a big battalion.”

The former Maoist boss also talked about the ‘bourgeoise’ media’s presentation techniques. “Their content is worthless, but the way they present it, they make you want to keep watching it,” he said calling on journalists to fight reactionaries.

Sitaual requests Deuba to respect majority’s voice

Former home minister and Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula has written to party president Sher Bahadur Deuba to reconsider his decision related to the NC’s general convention. The letter comes as the Deuba faction prepared time tables for the upcoming generation convention and soared up party departments to 47 through a meeting of the central committee, boycotted by the supporters of Sitaula and another senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel. In his letter, Sitaula said that it was Deuba’s responsibility to organise the 14th convention of the party and he had to rise above the interests of his faction to do that.

The Nepali Congress on Friday decided to hold its 14th general convention in February 2021, in Kathmandu. The central committee meeting, which saw the exclusive participation of members close to party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, also decided to extend the term of the current central working committee by a year. Rival

factions of the party decided not to attend the CWC meeting.

Sugarcane farmers protest government apathy

More than a dozen sugarcane farmers from Sarlahi have been staging protests at Maitighar in Kathmandu for the last four days demanding pay for their produce. The farmers say that local sugar mills have not paid them for their product for the last three years. They have demanded that the government seize the property of the industrialists concerned to provide the money for their sugarcane. They say that they are neck-deep in loan and can’t sustain their livelihoods.

Gautam Buddha Airport deadline to be extended for fourth time

The government is preparing to extend the deadline for the completion of the new Gautam Buddha International Airport for the fourth time. The third deadline expired on December 31, but work has not been completed yet. Authorities say that the Asian Development Bank, which is bankrolling the project, has also agreed to extend the deadline. The contractor says it will finish the work within three months. Minister for civil aviation Yogesh Bhattarai said the airport will be operational within six months.

Are you willing to go to jail for five years? NC asks public

The Nepali Congress has urged the members of the public to question the government on the provisions laid out in the new IT bill. Party spokesperson Biswa Prakash Sharma asked the members of the public if they were willing to go to jail for five months. Sharma was referring to the provisions of the bill that allow authorities to send someone to jail for five years for posting ‘inappropriate’ content on social media. Similarly, another bill being discussed in the upper house makes it legal for the government to wiretap phone calls made by the public. The party has objected to both the bills.

Interesting

Paragliding test conducted in Makwanpur

Residents of Indrasarowar in Makwanpur rang in the new year by conducting test paragliding flights on Tuesday. This was done in view of the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign. The flight was launched from Gumba Danda, which stands 500m above the artificial lake. Indrasarowar is one of the best tourism destinations in Province 3 as designated by the provincial government.

MP proposes separate ministry to oversee border security

NCP MP Khem Prasad Lohani has suggested that the government form a separate ministry to oversee border security. Lohani, who was speaking at a meeting of a parliamentary committee, said that the house needs to direct the government to form a separate ministry to oversee border security issues.  Lohani said that issues related to the border have not been on the priority of the government and the new ministry shall take up the issue dedicatedly. But other members of the committee shot down the idea saying that the Ministry of Home Affairs was doing the same job.