Nepal unrest: Interim PM Sushila Karki, 'a friend of India'; has strong ties with BHU

VARANASI: Nepal's first woman PM (of an interim govt), Sushila Karki, has an MA in political science from Banaras Hindu University in 1975, and a husband from the same university who carried out Nepal's first hijacking. Durga Prasad Subedi, the husband, was one of three men who commandeered a Royal Nepal Airlines de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft in 1973 that had Bollywood star Mala Sinha among the passengers.

Speaking fondly of Karki (73), Prof Dipak Malik, a retired BHU professor and former director of Gandhian Institute of Studies, said: "We have had a cordial relationship with her since her days in BHU... We are happy Nepal is going to get a neutral and honest person to lead the country."

"I do not forget to meet her whenever I go to Nepal," he added, having last visited her in Nov 2024. Prof Malik highlighted Karki's strong reputation for integrity, zero tolerance for corruption, and political neutrality, and landmark rulings against corrupt officials that earned her widespread respect.

Prof Malik said Karki met her husband, a Nepali Congress youth leader who led the June 10, 1973 hijacking during the protests against the Panchayat regime of King Mahendra, while studying at BHU. The other two hijackers were Nagendra Dhungel and Basanta Bhattarai. The operation was orchestrated to fund rebellion against the monarchy. Among the conspirators were future Nepal PMs Girija Prasad Koirala and Sushil Koirala.

According to reports, the three hijackers directed the pilot to land in Forbesganj, a border town in Bihar near Nepal's Biratnagar. The hijackers got off the plane there and fled into the jungle with a large amount of cash which, according to reports, belonged to a Nepalese bank and was being transported on the flight to Kathmandu.

Subedi went into hiding in Varanasi after the incident and was ultimately arrested after Emergency was imposed in India in 1975. He remained in jail for two years before being handed over to Nepalese authorities.

The other hijackers were also convicted and jailed but released after the Emergency was lifted in India.

In a recent interview to CNN-News18, Karki called herself a "friend of India", attributing this bond to her time at BHU. "My years at BHU left a lasting impression," she said, remembering her teachers and friends. Karki emphasised the long-standing relationship between India and Nepal, highlighting India's support and goodwill towards Nepal. Talking about the Indian leadership, she said she has "a good impression of Modi-ji".

Born on June 7, 1952, in Biratnagar, Karki obtained a BA from Mahendra Morang Campus in 1972, followed by an MA from BHU. She obtained a law degree from Nepal's Tribhuvan University in 1978 and began her legal career in 1979, becoming a senior advocate in 2007 and a Supreme Court judge in 2010. Karki served as the acting chief justice of Nepal's Supreme Court from April 13, 2016 to July 10, 2016, and then as chief justice until June 7, 2017.


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