त्रिभुवन अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थलको आकाशमाथि एउटा भारतीय विमान देखिएपछि अति विशिष्ठ कक्ष बाहिर रहेका पत्रकारमात्र होइन, सुरक्षा निकाय र विशिष्ठ कर्मचारीहरु पनि सतर्क भए । इण्डियन एयरफोर्सको विमान अवतरण गरेपछि त्यहाँ चर्चा चल्यो ‘मोदी अर्को विमानमा आउँछन्, यसमा त भ्रमण दलका सदस्य र सुरक्षाकर्मीहरुमात्र छन् ।’

तर, त्यसको केहीबेरमै प्रधानमन्त्री सुशील कोइराला, सभामुख सुवास नेम्वाङ, उपप्रधानमत्री वामदेव गौतमलगायत मन्त्रीहरु विशिष्ठ कक्षतिर लागेपछि थाहा भयो ‘त्यही विशेष विमानमै मोदी आएका रहेछन्’ ।

इण्डियन एयरफोर्सको विमानभित्रबाट एक कर्मचारीले एउटा हातमा नेपालको र अर्कोमा भारतको झण्डा देखाएर हल्लाए । त्यसपछि प्रधानमन्त्री नरेन्द्र मोदी बाहिर निस्किए ।
मोदीलाई समकक्षी सुशील कोइरालाले बुके दिएर स्वागत गर्दै थिए, सवारीमन्त्रीका रुपमा खटिएका सञ्चारमन्त्री डा. मिनेन्द्र रिजालले शिष्टाचार महापालको भूमिकामा प्रस्तुत हुँदै प्रधानमन्त्री कोइरालालाई कुममा समातेर लतार्न खोजेको दृश्य असहज लाग्नेखालको देखियो । सामान्यतः शिष्टाचार महापालले भीभीआइपीहरुको बसाइको व्यस्थापन गर्ने प्रचलन छ ।

तर, मन्त्री रिजालको व्यवहार स्वभाविक नभएको टिप्पणी त्यो दृश्य हेरिरहेकाहरुले गरेका छन् । रिजालले कोइरालालाई तानेको दृश्य भारतीय च्यानल आज तकले दोहोर्‍याई तेहर्‍याई देखायो ।

विशेष सलामी ग्रहण गरेपछि मोदी रातो कार्पेटबाट अघि बढ्दै गर्दा सँगै रहेका नेपालका प्रधानमन्त्री कोइरालालाई छाड्दै उनी नेपाली कर्मचारीहरुको लाइनतिर लागे ।
उनले त्यहाँ सबैसँग एकएक गरेर हात मिलाउँदै आफैं परिचय गरे । त्यसपछि मोदीले अर्को पाल बाहिर रहेका भारतीय उच्चपदस्थ कर्मचारीहरु भएतिर कोइरालालाई डोहोर्‍याएर परिचय गराउन लगे । मोदी एकपटक सबैतिर फर्केर हात हल्लाउँदै भित्र प्रवेश गरेका थिए । उनले सञ्चारकर्मीहरुसँग भने कुनै प्रतिक्रिया दिएनन् ।

Watch exclusive speech by political leader Gagan Thapa on a program organized at Kapan, Kathmandu.

Normal life across the country including the Kathmandu valley has come to a standstill on Monday due to the general strike enforced by the 33-party alliance-led by CPN-Maoist.

The educational institutions, market places, industries and transport services have remained closed across the country. Despite government’s assurance of providing compensations, very few numbers of vehicles are plying on the roads.

However, vehicles belonging to police, press, human rights organizations, and diplomatic missions and including ambulances and tourist vehicles are operating without any obstruction.

Similalrly, the banda organizers have also torched vehicles across the country.

According to our Dolakha district-based correspondent Ramesh Khatiwada, cadres of  the CPN-Maoist torched two vehicles which were being parked at Pakhalati of Bhimeshwor Municiplaity on Sunday night.

CPN-Maoist cadres set the two buses (Ba 2 Kha 1806) and (Ba 2 Kha 3534) of Araniko Yatayata on fire as the assistant drivers and helpers sleeping inside. However, they  managed to come out of the bus unhurt. The fire has caused major damage in the buses.

According to our Kavre-based correspondent Madhusudan Guragain, the banda organizers hurled a petrol bomb at a bus this monring.The bus (Ba 3 Kha 203)came under attack at Patlekhet of district while the bus was heading to Kathmandu from Ghurmi. However, the incident has caused minor damage in the bus.

Meanwhile, police have recovered suspicious objects in various places like Shrikhandapur, Raviopi, Panchalkhal, Khawa, Mahadevsthan and Rayabari.

According to our Sarlahi-based correspondent Santosh Singh, a suspicious improvised explosive device (IED) has been recovered in Laxiiniya-7, Kantibazar of Mahottari district this morning. According to Inspector Deepak Giri at Area Police Office at Gaushala, a Nepal Army bomb disposal team has been deputed at the incident side to defuse the bomb.

According to our Siraha-based correspondent Mithilesh Yadav, a socket bomb and other suspicious objects have been found in Ganesh Chwok and Shiva Chwok at Lahan of the district on Sunday evening. A Nepal Army bomb disposal team is preparing to defuse the bomb now.

A meeting of the 33-party alliance Sunday had decided to enforce general strike only on Monday and impose transport strike for nine days starting Tuesday. Earlier the alliance had announced to enforce general strike for 10 days with a view to disrupt the ongoing election process.