Prachanda equates himself with emperor Ashoka

Prachanda was in Lumbini on Monday to light a traditional peace lamp along with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to inaugurate a peace meet which was organised to mark the 2,552nd birth anniversary of Lord Buddha.

“After viewing the site that spreads the message of peace worldwide, I too feel like announcing, like Emperor Ashoka, that there is no further need for arms,” the Maoist chief said.

Ironically, his comments came amidst calls to him by leaders of political parties to stop his cadres’ involvement in acts of intimidation, violence, abduction and killings across Nepal.

Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have asked Prachanda to control the violent activities of the Maoists’ semi-combatant group Young Communist Party and stop terrorising people before the former rebels, who have emerged as the single largest party in the Constituent Assembly polls, lead the next government.