Chairman of ruling CPN and former prime minister (PM) Pushpa Kamal Dahal has claimed that the crème de la crème of the society participated in the 'People's War.'
Addressing a program in the capital on the eve of the 24th anniversary of the start of the armed insurgency by the Maoists, he stated that he feels pride in the success of the then Maoists in different disciplines now.
"Ultra-runner (sic) Mira Rai has created world record. I feel pride on seeing other participants in the People's War win different sporting medals," the supreme commander of the Maoists during the conflict added. "My son Prakash and those who ascended the Mount Everest along with him were all commanders of the People's War. That shows that those participating in the People's War were not headless persons but were socially excellent persons."
A book titled Shikhar ko Dhunga (The stone at the peak) co-authored by four who climbed the Mount Everest along with late Prakash was unveiled during the occasion.
Dahal conceded that the nine months in his first term as PM passed by in a dazzle. "The nine months passed by while I contemplated where we have reached and whether we have come to the right place or not. There were aspirations to do some miracles but there are no miracles in reality," Dahal stated. "But I was not dazzled the second time. My second term remains a period that gave new direction to the country in a planned manner."