Kathmandu: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has expressed dissatisfaction with party cadres who have not protested against the insult of those who sacrificed their lives in the armed conflict. In a program organized by Martyrs’ Memorial Nepal on Saturday, even when the party activists openly insulted those who sacrificed their lives in the Maoist conflict, Prachanda commented that the claim of killing 17,000 people by the Maoists in the armed conflict was fabricated.

“Why the term ‘17,000 plus 2’? One person claims to be two by holding a banner, but we neither protest nor write or speak,” said Prachanda. He continued, “In the past, we tolerated it? but what should we do now? How should we protest? How should we express ourselves?”

Last month, during a protest against the National Freedom Party in Balaju, Lalitpur, two youths lost their lives due to police firing, leading to opposition demonstrations by the Rashtriya Swatantra Party(RSP). During the protest, Member of Parliament Dr. Tosima Karki had displayed a banner claiming ‘17,000 plus 2.’ Prachanda said that even when the government declared martyrs for those who lost their lives in the people’s war the party had humiliated them. He raised questions to the activists asking why they did not prevent them from raising their fists.

“If we cannot tolerate the insult to our great national martyrs, why didn’t you stop us from moving forward with clenched fists?” Prachanda questioned. He added, “We seem indifferent to our goal. We are too indifferent to our goal.”

He also directed the party activists to organize programs throughout the country to honor those martyred in the Maoist conflict. “They are great martyrs; they are not murderers. Why should we hesitate to organize national martyr honor programs at the ward, municipality, district, and provincial levels?” Prachanda questioned, “Why have we been lax in organizing national martyr honor programs nationwide?”

Prachanda stated that they had to honor their martyrs, as the state had worked based on the announcement of martyrs in the Maoist conflict. He said, “We have to honor our martyrs, not let others honor them. We need to honor our martyrs.”