Nepal has assured safety of Pashupatinath priests: Nirupama Rao

September 16th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao here on Tuesday said that India would give priority to implement the recently concluded 34-point agreement with Nepal. During a meeting with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, the two agreed to implement the 34-point agreement signed between Nepal and India at the earliest and enhance cooperation between the security agencies of the two countries to bolster border security.

September 16th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Maoists re-opened the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) office of centuries-old Pashupatinath Temple here on Tuesday. It was locked about two weeks ago after the two Indian priests were beaten up.

September 14th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao who arrived here on a two-day visit, will meet President Ram Baran Yadav and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala today. Nirupama Rao's visit is aimed at working out the strategy for implementation of the 34-point agreement between Nepal and India signed during Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal's India visit, last month.

September 6th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Forty-eight hours after the attack on Indian priests at Nepal's hallowed Pashupatinath temple and the ensuing outcry in India, protests against the appointments still continued Sunday with a sect calling itself the 'sons' of the Hindu deity vowing they would keep up the fight for their right. Hundreds of people blocked the way to the 5th century shrine in the morning and shouted slogans against the appointment of two Indian priests who were initiated into their duties Saturday amidst unprecedented security.

September 6th, 2009 KATHMANDU/NEW DELHI - Nepal's Culture Minister Manindra Rijal on Sunday said his government is taking all steps to ensure the security of Hindu priests inside the Pashupatinath Temple and ruled out reports that the two priests who were allegedly attacked by Maoists were wanting to return to bangalore, their hometown. Rijal told a private television channel that he had gone to the temple with India's Ambassador to Nepal, Rakesh Sood, on saturday to apologise to the Indian priests and had assured them of their security.

September 5th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood Saturday regretted that religion - which brings the people of India and Nepal together - was under fire on the ground of nationality. He was reacting to the assault on two Indian priests at the famed Pashupatinath temple here.

September 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Following the attacks on two Indian priests at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, India said that the incident has caused deep anguish and serious concern in the country. The Government on Saturday said that the matter about the assault on the two newly appointed priests in revered Pashupatinath Temple was immediately taken up with Nepal authorities.

September 5th, 2009 BANGALORE/NEW DELHI - India Saturday condemned the attack by Nepali Maoists on two Indian priests at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. "We are aware of the attack by Maoists on the priests and we are in touch with the government of Nepal," External Affairs Minister S.M.

September 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI/BANGALORE - India Saturday strongly condemned the attack by Nepali Maoists on two Indian priests at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu calling it an "unprovoked and criminal act of violence" and conveyed its concerns to the Nepali government over the "unfortunate" incident. Kathmandu, on its part, has informed New Delhi that over 25 people, including the ringleader behind Friday's attack, has been arrested by Nepali police.

September 5th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Nepal Cultural Minister Minindra Rijal on Saturday expressed regret at the Maoists attack on two Indian priests at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu and assured adequate security to them. "This is very sad and most regrettable to attack Indian priests inside the holy temple which is the centre of faith for millions of Hindus across the world," Rijal said.

September 5th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Smarting under the continuing attacks on Indian priests and the allegation that they were siphoning off the offerings made by devotees at the altar of Pashupatinath, one of the holiest Hindu shrines, the chief priest at the temple said he and his ilk were ready to go back to India. Mahabaleshwar Bairy, the chief priest at the revered fifth century temple and the only person allowed to touch the deity, told the government that if Nepalis did not want Indian priests at the shrine, he and the four other Indian priests appointed there were ready to return home.

September 5th, 2009 KATHMNDU - The Nepal Government on Saturday arrested the Maoists leader who led the attacks on Indian priests and provided a personal security officer to the chief priest of the famous Pashupatinath shrine. The Nepalese Government has also deployed an extra-armed platoon of security forces in and around the shrine.

September 5th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Amid mounting concern and condemnation by the Indian government, Nepal's Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Saturday stepped into the Pashupatinath temple row, promising tough action against those who had attacked and stripped two Indian priests inside the 5th century shrine the day before. While Nepal sent Culture Minister Minendra Rijal to the shrine Saturday morning to watch over the initiation of newly appointed Indian priests Girish Bhatt and Raghavendra Bhatt, the premier also said during the inauguration of a hospital in the city that the opposition Maoist party was trying to foment trouble.

January 4th, 2009 KATHMANDU - The youth wing of Nepal's main opposition party Monday joined the fray over the ouster of Indian priests at the revered Pashupatinath temple, saying they were ready to cross swords with the Maoists. Mahendra Yadav, chief of Nepal Tarun Dal, the youth wing of former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala's Nepali Congress party, Monday issued a statement saying his organisation was ready to wage a struggle for faith.

January 2nd, 2009 KATHMANDU - Nepal's ruling Maoist party is blaming 'Hindu fanatics' for the raging controversy over the sacking of three Indian priests at the Pashupatinath temple, one of the holiest Hindu shrines revered by millions of Hindus worldwide. The Maoists are calling it a conspiracy to mar India-Nepal relations.