Urged by China, Prachanda seeks better ties with India

Having attacked India at every available opportunity for the past year, Nepal Maoists chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' now apparently wants to cozy up to it — on China's advice. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: Nov 1, 2010, 08:01:48 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Having attacked India at every available opportunity for the past year, Nepal Maoists chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' now apparently wants to cozy up to it — on China's advice.

In an interview to The Kathmandu Post and Kantipur dailies after his recent China trip, the former prime minister spoke of a "strategic tripartite partnership" involving India, China and Nepal. He also indicated a possible visit to Delhi.

"There's some confusion between us. Our party feels it is needed to clear them," Kantipur quoted him as saying on Sunday.

In the interviews, Prachanda said he was advised by Chinese leaders to better relations with India.

"Some people are trying to portray that we are siding with China and against India.

That's not true," he was quoted as saying.

"Sometimes we need to address problems from the streets and sometimes sitting across a table. Now we want to sit across a table and discuss," he added.

While the Maoists seem eager to mend fences, Indian officials were guarded in their response for Prachanda is known to frequently retract his statements.

"There's been no discussion with the Maoists regarding Prachanda's visit to New Delhi.

We have no idea about his party's change of stance towards India," said an Indian embassy official in Kathmandu.

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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