Indian Army chief in Nepal amid protests by Maoists

Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Jan 19 (PTI) Indian Army chief General
Deepak Kapoor Tuesday met his Nepalese counterpart as he began
a crucial four-day trip amid protests by hundreds of Maoists
at the Indian Embassy in the capital.

General Kapoor will hold talks with Nepal's top
political and military leadership and will be decorated with
the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army by President
Ram Baran Yadav on Thursday, according to officials.
The decoration for the Indian general comes after
Nepalese army chief General Chhtra Man Singh Gurung was
conferred with the Honorary title of General of the Indian
Army by President Pratibha Patel in New Delhi on December 14,
upholding a six-decade old tradition.
The police arrested over a dozen Maoist cadres who
attempted to wave black flags at the Tribhuvan International
Airport, police said.
Hundreds of communist supporters protested outside the
Indian Embassy in the capital coinciding with the visit of the
Indian general, who has been targeted by the Maoists for
allegedly opposing the en masse integration of the former PLA
guerrillas force into the Nepal Army.
The Indian Embassy here earlier clarified that the
reported remark of Gen Kapoor was "highly distorted" and did
not reflect New Delhi's position on the issue.
The leadership of the UCPN-Maoist has also accused New
Delhi of encroaching on Nepalese territory along the common
border.