Prachanda slapped by commoner at Maoist tea party

Chairman of Nepal's ruling Maoist party Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda received an unexpected festive gift on Friday - a slap on the face by a commoner. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: Nov 16, 2012, 21:19:10 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Chairman of Nepal's ruling Maoist party Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda received an unexpected festive gift on Friday - a slap on the face by a commoner.

The 58-year-old former prime minister was targeted in public glare during his party's tea reception to exchange Diwali, Chhath, Eid and Nepal Sambat New Year greetings.

The attacker identified as Pawan Kunwar, a 25-year-old resident of Baglung district, slapped Prachanda after shaking hands with him and other Maoist leaders at the reception held in Kathmandu.

Eye witnesses said Prachanda's spectacles fell to the ground and there was confusion in the venue for close to 10 minutes after the incident.

The youth was who was apprehended and severely beaten up by Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) cadres was later handed over to security personnel present at the venue.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, many of his cabinet colleagues, leaders of political parties, representatives of diplomatic missions, civil society leaders and general public were present at the function.

Prachanda and Bhattarai have been busy trying to build consensus among parties on resolving the ongoing political crisis following dissolution of the Constituent Assembly.

Opposition parties have been demanding removal of the present government and installation of a national unity government comprising all parties as pre-condition for agreement on other issues.

On Friday Prachanda had resumed his efforts at consensus after the festive break by meeting Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala and urging him to agree on passing the budget. Koirala rejected the request.

This is the third incident of major political leaders getting targeted. Jhalanath Khanal, chairman of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) and Sushil Koirala have been at the receiving end of such attacks in the past.

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

Get the latest headlines from US news and global updates from Pakistan, Nepal, UK, Bangladesh, Russia and US Iran war Live, get all the latest headlines in one place on Hindustan Times.