Nepal's Prachanda ‘threatens’ India ahead of visit

Nepal Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has ‘threatened’ not to take care of India’s security interests if the southern neighbour failed to help develop his country.

Updated on: Apr 26, 2013, 11:46:45 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Nepal Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has ‘threatened’ not to take care of India’s security interests if the southern neighbour failed to help develop his country.

The Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) chairman, who will leave on a four-day trip to India on Saturday, gave this warning while addressing a rally at Salyan in mid-western Nepal on Thursday.

“I will raise the issue of Nepal’s economic development during my India trip. If India doesn’t cooperate, we too won’t help address their security concerns,” ‘Annapurna Post’ quoted Prachanda.

As chief of the high-level political mechanism formed to hold elections, the Maoist leader will hold a series of meetings with Indian leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the trip.

Prachanda had undertaken a similar visit to China earlier this month where he held meetings with the political leadership there including President Xi Xinping on Nepal’s development and political situation.

“I had raised a similar demand during my China trip as well,” the Nepali daily quoted him.

India’s 1800 km long open border with Nepal poses a serious security threat due to influx of illegal arms, drugs, terrorists and fake Indian currency notes originating in Pakistan.

Though Nepal has agreed in past not to allow its soil to be used for anti-India activities, a long civil war followed by years of political instability has led to lax monitoring of such threats.

Following his China visit Prachanda had raised the issue of possible trilateral cooperation involving India, China and Nepal to develop the landlocked Himalayan nation.

But External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has given a thumbs down to the idea saying it’s “too early” for such a move.

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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