Kul Bahadur Khadka, who was appointed Acting Chief of Army Staff by the Maoist-led government, met with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Tuesday, and requested to be appointed National Security Advisor or Coordinator of the National Security Council.
He requested Nepal to give him justice without being vindictive for accepting the position of Acting Chief as decided by the then government.
“I should not be insulted or punished in view of my purported relationship with the Maoists,” a source at the Prime Minister’s Office quoted Khadka as telling the prime minister during the 15-minute meeting.
“The prime minister's opinion is that Khadka should not be court-martialed but he was non-committal to Khadka’s request,” said the source.
“It was a courtesy call,” he told the Post over phone on Tuesday evening. “I had gone to congratulate the newly appointed prime minister. No other issue was discussed with the prime minister, he said of the meeting, also attended by other UML leaders.
UML General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel reportedly arranged the meeting between Lt. Gen. Khadka with and the prime minister after the defence minister turned down his request for a meeting.
The Maoist-led government had appointed Khadka as acting chief after sacking Chief of Army Staff Rookmangud Katawal on May 3. However, Katawal continued in his position after President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav over-ruled the Cabinet decision the same night. He is retiring on
June 19.
The Army Headquarters came to know of the meeting only in the afternoon. “He had not sought permission from Gen. Katawal before meeting the prime minister,” said a senior army official. According to tradition, generals have to seek permission of the Chief of Army Staff before meeting the prime minister. Nepal Army is investigating Khadka's acceptance of the position after meeting the then prime minister without prior approval of the Army chief.
source:
http://www.ekantipur.com/kolnews.php?&nid=197384
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