Triumph of the new mainstream in Nepal
By voting in the Maoists, the Nepali people have chosen the party most likely to push for an egalitarian society and inclusive republican system in the Constituent Assembly. India must … Continue reading
The rumblings in Nepal’s Tarai
Unless the situation is handled with sensitivity and care, Madhesism, not Maoism, will be Kathmandu’s — and New Delhi’s — next big problem. 9 April 2008The Hindu The rumblings in … Continue reading
INSIDE NEPAL: The past is over, only the future counts
For king and commoner, revolutionary and reformist, the tide of change in Nepal is irreversible. But if the Maoists know there’s no going back to the gun, the erstwhile establishment … Continue reading
INSIDE NEPAL: A vote for change, a vote for peace
Even if the Maoists do not emerge victorious, the forthcoming Constituent Assembly elections will cement their role as both a key driver and a stakeholder of a new Nepal. 31 … Continue reading
"We will put Nepal’s relations with India on a new and equal footing"
Senior Nepali Maoist leader C.P. Gajurel on the future of Nepal-India relations and on the bizarre set of coincidences which led to his arrest in Chennai in 2003 for attempting … Continue reading
In Nepal, time to check the dangerous drift
The road map for the formation of an interim government with Maoist participation is more or less in place. But powerful forces are intervening to derail the process. 20 September … Continue reading
Indian Maoists criticise Prachanda
Say multiparty democracy, U.N. supervision a “dangerous” mistake. 24 July 2006The Hindu Indian Maoists criticise Prachanda Siddharth Varadarajan BELYING SPECULATION of a unified red corridor from “Pashupati to Tirupati,” the … Continue reading
Towards the endgame in Nepal
The sooner a U.N. mission is in place to monitor the arms of the Nepal Army and Maoist PLA, the smoother will be the transition towards an interim government and … Continue reading
Baburam Bhattarai: The King is down but not out
In an interview conducted over the telephone, Baburam Bhattarai, senior member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), says implementation of the peace … Continue reading
The making of a democracy
A road map exists, and the people of Nepal are anxious to get moving. But there are also seven roadblocks to be overcome. May 6-19 2006, Vol. 23 No. 9Frontline … Continue reading
First glimpse of a new dawn in Nepal
The oldest nation-state in South Asia will soon have the subcontinent’s newest constitution. Whether peace and prosperity follow depends on how inclusive it is. 7 May 2006Sunday Magazine, The Hindu … Continue reading
For Nepal, and India, the road ahead is difficult
Among the hurdles: the parties’ lack of confidence, as well as New Delhi’s anxiety over U.N. involvement in the disarmament of the Maoists and elections to a constituent assembly. 2 … Continue reading
Parliament meets in Nepal as movement for democracy enters new phase
Kathmandu: Resolution on constituent assembly, ceasefire with Maoists has been tabled; debate, vote on Sunday. 29 April 2006The Hindu Parliament meets in Nepal Siddharth Varadarajan Kathmandu: As thousands of people … Continue reading
Out of the shadows, peace roadmap slowly takes concrete shape
Kathmandu: But many questions remain unanswered on eve of reconvening of Parliament; Maoists likely to stage rally today. 28 April 2006The Hindu A roadmap for peace takes concrete shape Siddharth … Continue reading
Siddharth Varadarajan 