Prasain's activities could pose a threat to India's security, and RAW is monitoring him. Prasain was held at Indian immigration for questioning while returning to Kathmandu from New Delhi on Friday evening.
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Durga Prasai, who has announced a movement to bring back the Jasantshastra, is also under the surveillance of the Indian security apparatus. India's external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has been monitoring his activities.
Prasai's activities could pose a threat to India's security, a high-ranking security source under surveillance in India has confirmed. He was questioned by Indian immigration while returning to Kathmandu from New Delhi on Friday evening.
The Nepali Embassy in Delhi was informed that the immigration officials had put him on hold. After that, Nepali Ambassador to India Shankar Sharma had discussed with Indian officials. Prasai was finally allowed to return home after about 40 minutes. He arrived in Kathmandu on Nepal Airlines flight number RA 218.
Prasai had left for Delhi via Tribhuvan International Airport on Nepal Airlines' flight last Monday. Even then, the airport immigration office had asked the Home Ministry about whether or not to allow him to leave for India. At that time, the ministry had instructed to do whatever was required by law.
The reason why the airport immigration asked the ministry was related to his preparations to go to India on September 17. At that time, he had booked tickets for four people to go to India. But officials at the Indian embassy in Kathmandu had expressed concern to the Nepali side regarding his visit to India. “Indian officials were concerned that he might take action that would affect the relations between the two countries during the protests in Nepal,” a senior government official told Kantipur. “Indian officials had also taken notice of his exaggerated statements.”
According to the official, officials related to India’s external intelligence agency RAW had informed the Nepali side about it. Prasai was also informed about it informally. Prasai, who had then postponed his visit to India, left for there on Monday. After leaving India, he claimed on social media that he had been lied to by saying that his distance from India had increased.
After being questioned by Indian immigration, Prasai has expressed anger towards the Nepali authorities, saying that he was stopped by sending an email from the Nepali embassy in Delhi. He is particularly angry with Nepali Ambassador Sharma. However, embassy officials in Delhi say that Prasai is being monitored by Indian security agencies. An embassy official said, “More surveillance was increased after receiving information that he had come to India.”
Earlier, after the violent protests in Tinkune on March 15, Prasai had fled and reached India through the eastern border crossing Kakadbhitta. At that time, police investigation revealed that he had also visited the capital New Delhi, Prayagraj and Lehna. According to officers involved in the investigation, Prasai had gone to India at that time expecting to receive support from the Indian side as he had raised the agenda of a Hindu nation along with the monarchy.
After not seeing any support, he reached Assam. Police say that the house where Prasai was staying belongs to a local leader. Investigations conducted at that time also revealed that he had connections with state-level leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parent organization of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
When former King Gyanendra Shah was welcomed in Kathmandu on March 25, a protester displayed a photo of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath. Prasai had argued that it was normal to display the photo, stating that he was a symbol of Hinduism. However, later, the Nepali ambassador in Delhi met Adityanath in Lucknow. At that time, Chief Minister Adityanath had clarified that he had no 'position' regarding the activities in Nepal, despite his old ties with the Nepalese royal family.
Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had also said at a public event at that time, 'Adityanath himself has said that whatever the Nepali people want, I am not in favor of bringing a king.'
At that time, the then Foreign Minister Arjun Rana Deuba had also taken an interest in Prasai's activities with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar and Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava. Later, Nepal Police arrested Prasai with the help of India's internal intelligence agency, the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
The last time, the Indian television NDTV quoted government officials as saying that India had nothing to do with Prasai's activities. Citing diplomatic and security sources, the news agency said that Indian officials did not welcome Prasai's political activism at a time when they were focused on maintaining stable relations with the current government.
"Indian officials have warned Durga Prasai not to engage in political activities while in India and not to falsely claim Indian support," the government official was quoted as saying.
