Yechury tries hard to play down ‘crucial’ Nepal visit

Senior Communist Party of India leader Sitaram Yechury who played an important role in Nepal’s peace process today tried hard to downplay his ‘crucial’ visit to the Himalayan nation.

Updated on: Mar 2, 2010, 15:15:57 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury who played an important role in Nepal’s peace process today tried hard to downplay his ‘crucial’ visit to the Himalayan nation.

The CPI (M) politburo member left Kathmandu on Tuesday after a three-day visit, which saw him interacting with leaders from across the political spectrum and also the President and Prime Minister.

“I have not come with any information, order or direction from India. It’s a visit on the invitation of President Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal,” he told media persons.

Yechury’s visit comes at a time when the three-year-old peace process hangs in balance and there is uncertainty on the new constitution getting drafted ahead of the May 28 deadline.

He reiterated several times that India supports the peace process and wants it to reach its logical conclusion. But he ruled out any “influence” or “interference” from the southern neighbour in the process.

“There’s no big brother or small brother in Indo-Nepal relations. We are twin brothers and have an umbilical cord relationship,” Yechury stated while replying to queries on India’s alleged interference in Nepali politics.

During his stay the CPI (M) leader met senior leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) and also Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai of the UCPN (Maoist), the main opposition party.

“I found that leaders of all major parties want the peace process to reach its logical end. But there are differences on how to achieve it. Hopefully, a solution will be reached on time,” said Yechury.

He, however, refused to be drawn into rumours of how long the present Madhav Kumar Nepal-led government will last or would a new government headed by the UCPN (Maoist) assume charge soon.

“Nobody else’s position on these issues matter. It is for the people of Nepal and the political leadership to decide. I am here only to support the peace process,” Yechury stated.

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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