Three prominent civil society members have written to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai demanding action against Laal Rakshak monthly newspaper which published a report titled ‘Traitors of the people’ with their picture on 29 January.
Journalist Kanak Mani Dixit, former Assistant Secretary General to the UN Kul Chandra Gautam and human rights worker Subodh Raj Pyakurel have collectively written to the Prime Minister asking him to take appropriate action against the publication and the editor. The trio charge the newspaper affiliated to UCPN-Maoist of running a slander campaign and inciting public hatred against them. “The report has put us under grave danger and if there is any physical assault on us, the Maoist leadership will collectively be responsible”, the letter reads.
The three say that such objectionable reports are aimed at terrorizing the public and silencing free expression, and have made it explicit that they would not be cowed down by hate mongering and continue to speak their mind.
The three have been critical of the Maoists' refusal to renounce violence and for protecting cadre convicted for murder and those accused of human rights violations.. Few days back Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, in an interview to a television channel, charged Dixit along with NC leader Ramchandra Paudel and Constitutional Committee chairman Nilamber Acharya of politically isolating the Maoists. Although the names appeared in the text published by a national daily on the same day, the names were edited in the aired interview.
“As a Prime Minister of this nation we request you make your views public about the report published by the newspaper affiliated to your party and initiate action against the publication”, the writers have demanded.