Criticism of Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula's role in the peace talks between the government and Maoists and the performance of the government mounted today after several Members of Parliament from the Nepali Congress (NC) demanded Sitaula's resignation. Alleging that the minister was giving into all the Maoists demands and that the government was following Maoist agenda the MPs made their demands in the NC parliamentary committee meeting held on Monday. They also demanded Sitaula be removed from the talks committee.

The meeting held in the Singa Darbar office of the NC parliamentary committee criticised the agreements between the government and the Maoists adding that the government was not looking at whether the Maoists were actually following the 12 point agreement. "They are doing whatever the Maoists want. The home minister must resign," said one MP.

There has been much debate within the NC regarding the issue with MPs arguing that the Maoists can not be included in the interim government without disarming their forces first as the CPN-M would then have command over two armed forces at the same time. The issue of dissolving the parliament without a suitable alternative in place was also criticised stating that the agreement was against the sentiments of the Peoples Movement II. NC leader Ram Chandra Paudel has admitted demands were made for the home ministers resignation.

Those who spoke in the meeting were Ram Chandra Paudel, Mahesh Acharya, Shiva Prasad Humagain, Tanka Prasad Kandel, Shiva Raj Joshi (Dailekh), Binaya Dhwoj Chand, Shankar Pandey, Mahadev Gurung and Pushkar Nath Ojha. The meeting will continue on 11 July. The home minister is expected to give a reply on Tuesday.