Nepal army for referendum to settle secular status

Issues like Nepals shift to secularism from a Hindu nations identity,citizenship,unitary vs federal status of the government and other crucial issues are best sorted through referendum, army chief Katawal submitted during the deposition.

Questions have been raised earlier too on whether Nepals declaration as a federal,secular nation by the revived Parliament took into account the public mood.

Although the armys submission did not directly record its objection to the abolition of monarchy,it significantly noted that all major issues should be put forward for a referendum. Interestingly,in his deposition,Katawal also advised that King Prithiv Narayan Shah who founded the unified Nepal in 1768 AD be recognised as a national hero and symbol of national unity. The coalition government that took power from King Gyanendra in May 2006 had stripped the late king of the status.

The NPIC had summoned Gen Katawal as he was criticised by Defence Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal,who is also a Maoist central committee member,for not having stopped recruitment at the lowest levels in the army despite his order.