Nepal recalls envoy to India

Accusing him of failing to cooperate with the ruling coalition government, Nepal has recalled its envoy to India Rukma Shumsher Rana.

Updated on: Jun 22, 2011, 24:24:28 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Accusing him of failing to cooperate with the ruling coalition government, Nepal has recalled its envoy to India Rukma Shumsher Rana.

Two days after he was reportedly asked to submit his resignation, local media reported on Tuesday that foreign secretary Madan Kumar Bhattarai sent a letter to Rana on Monday asking him to return at the earliest.

Addressing a programme on Monday, deputy prime minister and foreign minister Upendra Yadav had accused the envoy of refusing to follow directives given by the government.

Rana who had been posted to New Delhi in October 2009 by the Nepali Congress-Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) government has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons recently.

With the new coalition government comprising CPN (UML), Maoists and other smaller parties coming to power in Februray this year, pressure has been mounting on him to quit.

"He failed to come to Kathmandu during External Affairs Minister SM Krishna's visit to Nepal in April this year," said Yadav, chief of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Nepal), a member of the present coalition.

The minister blamed Rana of not coordinating with India for Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal's maiden New Delhi visit and accused him of working against the interests of the present government.

The envoy, a shareholder and managing director of Dabur's Nepal venture, was also in the limelight when the company faced allegations of altering manufacturing dates of some products.

Yadav told newspersons that no decision has been taken yet on Rana's successor. But reports in local media suggest that foreign secretary Bhattarai could be chosen for the important diplomatic assignment.

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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