Rightly said Bhakundey Bhut! Wonder whats next?

Nepal's army chief has been fired by the ruling Maoists in a row about the integration of their former fighters into the armed forces.

General Rookmangud Katawal was forced out during a special Cabinet meeting, the information minister said.

He was accused of defying government orders to stop hiring new recruits and to get rid of eight generals.

The government wants to integrate former Maoist rebel fighters into the army - a move opposed by generals.

Correspondents say the row could undermine the peace process which ended the civil war in 2006.

The Maoists fought the army for more than a decade before giving up their armed revolt, and the relationship between the two sides has been tense since the former rebels came into power last year.

Thirteen-thousand people died in the conflict.

Information and Communications Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara said Gen Katawal was fired because "he failed to give satisfactory explanation on why the government orders were ignored".

The Maoists accused Gen Katawal of hiring 2,800 new recruits and reinstating the generals, dismissed by the defence ministry, without consulting the government, Reuters said.

The army chief has been refusing to integrate former Maoist fighters that he views as politically indoctrinated.

In March, the Nepalese Supreme Court ordered the defence ministry to put on hold its decision to retire the eight generals from the army.

Cabinet walk-out

Several representatives walked out of the Cabinet meeting in protest, but a vote went ahead.

"We have been insisting that the decision on the army chief should be taken through consensus among all political parties but the prime minister decided to ignore us," said Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev Gautam, according to Associated Press news agency.

Gen Katawal was due to retire in four months.

The army's second-in-command, Kul Bahadur Khadka, has been appointed acting army chief, the deputy PM said.

Asked in a BBC interview last year about suspicions that Gen Katawal would be sacked, Prime Minister Prachanda said: "That will not happen.

"As long as everyone including the army, the police and the other officials remain committed to the people's mandate on democracy, peace and change, no-one needs to feel insecure."

I don't know it is good or bad, legal/illegal to throw the army chief,

But, at least maoist did not follow the indian instruciton...like other bhatuwa chor neta

I think Katwal is correct in terming the sacking order as unconstitutional as Maoist is just leading the government, they do not have a majority in the government. After UML and MJF stands (in oppostion) regarding the proposal I don't think that the order is constitutional anymore. Remaining probably will be decided by the court or constitutional experts.

 Maoist has been doing my way or highway for a long time, anyway.

I know now congress will bring Indian into picture to bring themselves to power. All they will do is to empty the national treasure just to further their own benefit not for Nepali people's benefit.

Irony is that Makune and Girija rarely agreed on anything until now since 1990. Had they agreed with each other during these years, Nepal could have been different. They both are out of power now and they agree on things to bring other ruling party down. What a tregedy for our country?

We never had a faith on Maiost, they came into power through violence. Who do we trust now Maiost, NC or UML, or Madesi Party? Is Nepal going to get better any day?

What a chaos!