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Bomb attack on Nepalese leader's home

  • Story Highlights
  • Explosion detonated at home of Nepal's first-ever vice president
  • Vice President Parmanada Jha ignited protests by speaking Hindi
  • Improvised explosive device injured one of his bodyguards
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KATHMANDU, Nepal (CNN) -- An explosion detonated Sunday evening at the home of Nepal's first-ever vice president, who ignited a wave of protests last month after taking the oath of office in the Hindi language.

Vice President Parmanada Jha angered people by taking his oath in Hindi language.

The improvised explosive device injured one of Vice President Parmanada Jha's bodyguards, state-run Nepal Television reported.

"The device was thrown inside the compound from outside," Home Ministry spokesman Mod Raj Dotel told CNN.

The motive for the attack is unclear. Jha is the country's first vice president after Nepal abolished its monarchy and became a republic in May.

Protesters burned effigies of Jha in country-wide demonstrations after he took the oath of office last month in Hindi -- which is widely spoken in India -- instead of the Nepali language. Some demanded that he take his oath again in the country's official language.

Jha later defended his action, saying that he spoke in Hindi because it is widely understood in southern Nepal that borders India.

On Friday Nepal's parliament elected the leader of the former communist rebels -- Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda -- to the post of prime minister.

Prachanda's Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) is presently in talks with the regional Madhesi Janadhikar Forum from the south.

That forum nominated Jha for the post of vice president and he was elected by parliament.

Journalist Manesh Shrestha contributed to this report.

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