Setting the stage for a possible showdown with the military, Nepal's Maoists-led government on Sunday sacked Army Chief Gen Rukmanga Katawal accusing him of defying its orders, but he rejected the decision and summoned his top commanders for an emergency meeting. "The Army Chief was removed because he failed to give satisfactory explanation on why the government orders were ignored," Information Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara told reporters, shortly after a special Cabinet meeting chaired by Premier Prachanda and boycotted by four key allies of Maoists.
Lt Gen Kul Bahadur Khadka, considered a Maoist loyalist, has been appointed the new Army Chief, the Prime Minister's Press Adviser Om Sharma said.
The Maoists' move came a fortnight after they served an ultimatum to Gen Katawal, seeking his clarification on recruitments by military, its "hastiness" in reinstating eight generals retired by the government and its decision not to participate in the National Games.
He had furnished his reply contending that he had not disobeyed the government's directives on removing eight generals and halting recruitment in the military. Following the Government's decision to fire him, a defiant Gen Katawal rejected it saying the Prime Minister had no authority to remove him, according to a private radio. He has called an emergency meeting of top Generals at the
Army Headquarters, Nepal FM radio said.
The Cabinet meeting, which decided to sack Gen Katawal, was boycotted by four ruling alliance partners CPN-UML, Madhesi People's Rights' Forum, Sadbhavana Party and CPN-United. The decision came despite domestic and international calls against such a move, including from India.
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