Nepal vice-president's apology ends Hindi row

From correspondents in Kathmandu, Nepal, 05:01 PM IST Violent protests that had disrupted Nepal for seven consecutive days after the newly elected Vice-President of Indian origin Parmanand Jha took his oath of office in Hindi ended Wednesday with the embattled official offering a public apology. 'I express my regrets if I hurt anyone's sentiments while taking my oath of office (in Hindi),' a statement issued by the beleaguered vice-president's office said. 'It was not my intention to hurt the national unity, integrity, sovereignty and self-respect of any Nepali citizen.' The former judge, who had been at the centre of a raging controversy since last Wednesday, said he had taken the oath of office and secrecy in Hindi instead of Nepali or his mother tongue Maithili thinking 'all communities would be able to understand the... [read full story]