Page 5 - Nepal

Mamata shifts stay to monitor Nepal situation amid network issues

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is on a three-day administrative tour of north Bengal, shifted her place of stay from the Kanyashree bungalow to Uttarkanya due to mobile connectivity issues, a senior official said on Wednesday. "It is reported that there were network issues at the Kanyashree bungalow, which made it difficult for her to stay updated on the developments in Nepal. As a result, the CM shifted to Uttarkanya on Tuesday night to monitor the situation more closely," the official told PTI. Later, the Trinamool Congress posted a photo of the party supremo sitting in 'Uttarkanya' and monitoring the situation in the riot-hit neighbouring nation. Uttarkanya is a building in Siliguri which houses the temporary state secretariat for the North Bengal Development Department of West Bengal "The unfolding situation in our neighbouring country, Nepal, is a matter of deep concern. Placing the interests of the state above all else, our compassionate Chief Minister, remai

Ex-envoys urge Centre to stay alert as turmoil grips India's neighbourhood

As Nepal plunged into chaos in the face of massive anti-government protests, various former Indian ambassadors said New Delhi must watch this unfolding situation "very closely," with some underlining that India's neighbourhood is "indeed in turmoil" which is not a healthy sign. They cited instances of public protests, largely led by youth, that had led to political upheavals and the toppling of governments in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in recent years. The Himalayan nation reeled under a grave political crisis with Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli resigning on Tuesday amid large-scale demonstrations in Kathmandu, and protesters setting on fire the Nepalese leader's private house in Balkot and attacking the residences of various former ministers. Violent protests by youths against a government ban on social media sites rocked Nepal on Monday, with police's use of force leaving at least 19 people dead and over 300 others injured. Veteran diplomat Venu Rajamony said what is happening in Ne

Nepal President to meet protestors, urges peaceful resolution via dialogue

He will be meeting with a delegation of the protestors, along with the Nepalese Army

Violent protests will stop, we want new rules: Nepal 'Gen-Z' protester

Demanding good leadership from the parties and the administration, the protester said that he hopes that the youth will get more opportunities in the country

India keeps close watch on Nepal crisis: Curfew, unrest and key updates

Late on Tuesday, the Nepal Army announced the deployment of army personnel and other security forces to maintain order following the Prime Minister's resignation

Who is Balendra Shah, the Kathmandu mayor backing Gen Z protesters?

Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, an rapper-turned-engineer-turned-politician, has emerged as the new political face in Nepal as Gen Z-led protests toppled Prime Minister KP Oli

MEA urges Indians to avoid non-essential travel to Nepal amid unrest

The ministry shared emergency contact numbers for assistance, stating that the Embassy of India in Kathmandu can be reached at +977-980 860 2881 and +977-981 032 6134, both also available on WhatsApp

Nepal unrest leaves UP border markets deserted, locals anxious over safety

As unrest continues in Nepal, Uttar Pradesh's border districts saw empty markets, with residents grappling with cancelled travel plans and severed family contacts across the frontier and many expressing concern over the disruption of their daily lives. In Bahraich's Rupaidiha town, which usually bustles with Nepali shoppers, markets have fallen silent. "Normally, our markets thrive because Nepali buyers come here for daily needs. But now, the markets are silent. Families on both sides are interlinked by marriages, so the unrest has left people here worried," said Dr Uma Shankar Vaishya, chairman of the local nagar panchayat. Locals said the temporary social media ban in Nepal had even cut off communication with relatives across the border. The restoration of WhatsApp and Facebook brought some relief, but anxiety persists. "People are very angry after the deaths during protests in Kathmandu. Schools are closed, markets shut, and demonstrations are intense in Nepalgunj too. The ...

Nepal Army takes control of int'l airport amid social media ban protests

The Nepal Army on Tuesday took control of the Tribhuvan International Airport here after the agitators tried to enter its premises in the evening. Flight services at the airport were partially suspended in view of the protests. Air India, which operates six flights a day between New Delhi and Kathmandu, on Tuesday cancelled four flights. IndiGo and Nepal Airlines also cancelled their flights from Delhi to Kathmandu. The army also took control of Singhdurbar, the government's main secretariat building, after the protesters burnt houses inside the complex. The army entered the complex and took control after evacuating the protesters. The army also intervened after a group of agitators tried to vandalise the gate of the holy Pashupatinath Temple here. The Nepal Army earlier announced that it will take charge of security operations from 10 pm on Tuesday. In a statement issued by the Directorate of Public Relations and Information, the army said that some groups are taking undue advan

Nepal crisis deepens: How social media ban stoked flames of unrest

Though the immediate spark came from the social media ban, a simmering unrest was brewing on account of rising unemployment and corruption in the country

PM Modi chairs Cabinet committee meet on Nepal unrest, calls for peace

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to discuss developments in Nepal, where violent protests have toppled the government headed by K P Sharma Oli, and stressed that stability, peace and prosperity of the country are of utmost importance to India. Modi said the violence in Nepal, in which at least 19 people have lost their lives, is heart-rending and appealed to "my brothers and sisters in Nepal to support peace". He called a meeting of the CCS on his return from a tour of flood-hit Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Modi said, "The violence in Nepal is heart-rending. I am anguished that many young people have lost their lives. The stability, peace and prosperity of Nepal are of utmost importance to us. I humbly appeal to all my brothers and sisters in Nepal to support peace." Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are among the CCS ..

Nepal crisis: Delhi-Kathmandu skies closed, travel cancellations trickle in

Air India, IndiGo, Nepal Airlines, and SpiceJet suspend flights; MEA advises Indian citizens in Nepal to stay indoors

Nepal GenZ protests: PM Oli resigns, Parliament set afire amid clashes

Several other ministers, including the Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ramnath Adhikari, and Minister for Water Supply Pradeep Yadav, have resigned

Nepal protests HIGHLIGHTS: PM KP Sharma Oli resigns; parliament set on fire

Nepal Gen Z protest HIGHLIGHTS: Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli stepped down on Tuesday amid violent anti-corruption protests led by Gen Z activists. Catch the latest updates here

Indian FMCG firms, including Dabur, ITC, monitoring developments in Nepal

Indian FMCG companies, which have substantial investments and presence in Nepal, are closely watching the political development in the Himalayan country. Leading Indian FMCG companies, including Dabur, Britannia, Marico, Patanjali, ITC, and Reliance Consumer have a significant presence in Nepal. Most of them operate through their local distributors or partnerships. Some of the FMCG companies as Dabur, ITC (through Surya Nepal), Britannia, etc, have their manufacturing operations in Nepal. Companies as Reliance Consumer have a partnership with Chaudhary Group for local manufacturing and distribution. Chaudhary Group (CG), Nepal's largest multinational conglomerate, has recently also entered into a formal joint venture agreement with the Indian food company Bikaji Foods also. An industry executive, without disclosing his identity, said the Indian FMCG companies are closely watching the developments in Nepal. They have advised their employees to remain cautious and safe amid the ...

India advises citizens to defer Nepal travel, airlines suspend operations

As anti-corruption protests take over the streets of Nepal, many Indian airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, have suspended their flights to and from Kathmandu

Who is Sudan Gurung, the man behind massive Gen Z protest in Nepal?

Sudan Gurung, president of Hami Nepal, founded the organisation in 2015 after the deadly earthquake highlighted a lack of an effective emergency response programme

Nepal internet curbs part of global trend to suppress online freedom

Nepal's crackdown on social media companies, which led to protests and police killing at least 19 people, is part of a yearslong decline of internet freedoms around the world as even democracies seek to curtail online speech. The Himalayan country's government said last week it was blocking several social media platforms including Facebook, X and YouTube because the companies failed to comply with a requirement that they register with the government. The ban was lifted Tuesday a day after the deadly protests. What's happening in Nepal mirrors this broader pattern of controlling the narrative and controlling of stories emerging from the ground, said Aditya Vashistha, an assistant professor of information science at Cornell University. This has happened several times in the neighbouring countries Pakistan and Bangladesh, he said. "So this is nothing new - in fact, I would say this is taken from the playbook, which is now very established, of trying to control social media narratives,

Nepal social media ban: Protestors defy curfew, vandalise govt offices

Amid growing calls for taking responsibility for the chaos, Oli called an all-party meeting at 6 pm at an undisclosed venue

India expresses grief over deaths, says monitoring developments in Nepal

India on Tuesday said it is deeply saddened by the loss of many young lives during protests in Nepal and hoped that the issues will be resolved through peaceful means. Violent protests by youths in Kathmandu and a few other places against a government ban on social media sites on Monday left at least 19 people dead and over 300 others injured. "We are closely monitoring the developments in Nepal since yesterday and are deeply saddened by the loss of many young lives," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with families of deceased. We also wish speedy recovery for those who were injured," it said. "As a close friend and neighbour, we hope that all concerned will exercise restraint and address any issues through peaceful means and dialogue," the MEA said in a statement. It also asked Indian nationals to exercise caution in view of the prevailing situation in that country. "We have also taken note that authorities have imposed curfew in Kathmand