Bhattarai returns home to black flags

Nepal's Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai was greeted with black flags by Maoist colleagues on his return home on Sunday evening from his maiden four-day India visit. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: Oct 23, 2011, 23:32:55 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Nepal's Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai was greeted with black flags by Maoist colleagues on his return home on Sunday evening from his maiden four-day India visit.

Nearly 100 hardliners of Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) owing allegiance to Vice-Chairman Mohan Vaidya shouted slogans and waved flags outside the Tribhuwan International Airport.

Bhattarai's colleagues were angry at him for signing what they term an "anti-national" Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement with the southern neighbour.

The PM however has been insisting that despite fears of a backlash, he took the gamble of signing the agreement as it would attract huge Indian investment and help Nepal's development.

Addressing newspersons on his arrival, Bhattarai termed the visit as highly successful and stated that those protesting against BIPPA had failed to understand the terms of the agreement.

A large posse of security personnel was posted at the airport and along the route to Bhattarai's official residence in Baluwatar in anticipation of any untoward incident.

Terming the BIPPA as violation of party-discipline, Maoist general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa said that the party could initiate disciplinary action against Bhattarai.

"The party standing committee meeting held a day before Bhattarai's departure for India had decided against signed the agreement. But the PM went ahead and signed it," Thapa told newspersons in Chitwan on Sunday.

Provisions in BIPPA provides grant of compensation by the host country to investors whose investments suffer losses due to war, armed conflict, national emergency, insurrection or riots.

India had been insisting on signing the BIPPA with Nepal as several major Indian investments had suffered huge losses. The present agreement will remain in force for 10 years.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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