With it Nepal institutionalized itself as a democratic, republic and federal state. But the cold reality is that this is not the first time Nepal has disregarded Indian concerns. Several minority groups instead demand the introduction of ethnicity-based federalism. This visit also helped dispel the impression that Nepal was being run by the South Block babus and RAW, and made-up for the multiple diplomatic faux-pas of India envoys posted in Nepal. For instance, children of a Nepalese woman with a foreign husband can not enjoy citizen status in Nepal unless the husband accepts Nepalese citizenship.
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But this last week, ties took a nosedive over India’s lukewarm reaction to Nepal’s new Constitution. The pro-monarchy Rashtriya Prajatantra Party and various other Hindutva outfits organised protests throughout the country demanding that Nepal be declared a Hindu State.
“He will talk to the agitating parties to build an environment of trust”, said Chudamani Khadka, a Maoist leader and aide to Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
In protest, elected Madhesi leaders quit the Constituent Assembly few weeks before the final stretch and took to the streets. The remaining 507 members voted in favour of the Big 3 draft, and the Constitution was adopted.
The Modi government’s response to the promulgation of the new constitution without prior consultations with India has been rather strong and that could be a factor in the future relationship between the two countries.
The objective of a new constitution was to lay the foundations for an innovative state and society.
BBC Nepali reporters in Kathmandu say long queues are forming at petrol stations as residents stockpile fuel in anticipation of shortages. That Mr Doval is now in the frame shows that the government gets it. The question is, though, what can he do about it without pushing Nepal into being our new Sri Lanka?
Rae stated that the problems were not created due to India.
They want the government and its allies to revise the internal borders and restructure the country in such a way that their communities secure greater political representation and enjoy more autonomy.
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National security adviser Ajit Doval had on Wednesday met Nepal’s ambassador Deep Kumar Upadhyay here to try and convince him of the need for an early resolution to the simmering bilateral tensions over the constitution, senior officials said. They also hoped to strengthen infrastructure, restructure the educational system, abolish widespread corruption and abuse of public office, and fight widespread nepotism. “Because of the domestic political situation, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala will not go to the USA”, said Dinesh Bhattarai, the adviser.
