New Constitution doesn’t discriminate: Nepal PM

Jaswinder Singh Baidwan

Akhran da mureed
Staff member
Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today said the new Constitution promulgated by Nepal is inclusive and that the document was progressive without any kind of discrimination. Speaking at a think-tank’s meet, Oli admitted the Constitution might not satisfy everyone since it was a compromise reached between divergent people and groups.
Oli, in his speech, emphasised the need for India and Nepal to strengthen the bilateral relationship. “Our past as well as the future are linked,” he said.
“The main mission of my coming to India was to clear misunderstanding and apprehensions that surfaced in the past few months following the promulgation of the Constitution. In my meetings with President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and other leaders, I tried to clarify what we did in the past few months, what our intentions were and how we want to advance as a nation.
“Having exchanged views with them, I am convinced that whatever misunderstanding was there does not persist anymore. This in my view is the most important outcome of my visit,” Oli said.
He also dismissed the idea that Nepal played the India card or the China card saying that was not a viable policy option.
India and Nepal have been at loggerheads with each other over the new Constitution. While India has publicly maintained the new Constitution is not “inclusive” enough, since it fails to protect the rights of the minorities like the Madhesis, Oli’s statement today would seem like a rejection of the Indian stand.
Oli also met with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval today. It is learnt that during the meeting Doval discussed the recently signed assistance agreements and avenues for further improving ties between the two counties.
 
Top