KATHMANDU, APR 01 – The UCPN (Maoist) has decided to activate the Young Communist League, a paramilitary wing of the party, which remained defunct for the last two years after widespread criticism for its activities. With the decision, the YCL will revive its organisational structure from the centre to the grassroots level.

A meeting held at the party headquarters in Perisdanda on Sunday in the presence of Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal took the decision at a time when the main opposition party Nepali Congress is demanding that the outfit’s paramilitary structure be dismantled. While Maoist leaders say the YCL will not act as a paramilitary force as in the past, the decision is likely to irk opposition parties NC and the CPN-UML.

The meeting also decided to mobilise YCL cadres to ensure peace and constitution by May 27. The Maoists had formed the force during the Constituent Assembly elections by bringing in 3,500 members, some of them commanders, from their People’s Liberation Army. “We have decided to revive the PLA to press for timely peace and constitution and to undertake other tasks of the party,” said politburo member Hemanta Prakash Oli.

He added that YCL members would be engaged in social service besides doing works related to production and income generation. The meeting also decided to form the Youth Unemployment Association to raise voices for creating employment opportunities. “All the unemployed youths will come under the banner to seek employment opportunities,” said YCL Valley in-charge Chandra Bahadur Thapa. The establishment faction decided to resurrect the YCL after the party’s hard-line faction launched a nationwide campaign to bring the youth cadres under its fold.

Speaking at the meeting, Dahal told YCL members that the Baidya faction’s activities were anarchic and against the party policy. “Baidyaji should convince the faction that there is no alternative to completing the peace and constitution writing process,” politburo member Oli quoted Dahal as telling the meeting. Dahal also challenged the hardliners to abandon the path of peace and constitution and to go for a “revolt”. He directed the YCL men to clear rumours spread by the Baidya faction about peace and constitution.Ekantipur Report