India Welcomes Steps Taken by Nepal Government to Address Political Issues

Kathmandu: In a landmark decision, the Government of Nepal shifted its position and decided on Monday to move to address the demands of the agitating Madhesis with regard to the new Constitution.

“In what could be a hint that the blockade against Nepal will now be lifted, India welcomed the recent decisions by the Nepal government and urged ‘all political forces to now show necessary maturity and flexibility to find a satisfactory solution”.

India has welcomed the Nepal government’s decision towards addressing some of the key concerns raised by agitating Madhesi-based political parties in the Himalayan country.

“The bill has ensured proportional inclusive participation in various state organs as demanded by the agitating parties and has also proposed delimitation of the electoral constituencies based on population”, Minister for Industry Som Prasad Pandey told the media after the meeting.

According to the Nepalese government, the demarcation of provinces is also to be addressed through an appropriate arrangement in the Constitution on the basis of political consensus. The party also asked the front to forge consensus on the bill so it could be revised, including the front’s demands.

“The government of India welcomes these developments as positive steps that help create the basis for a resolution of the current impasse in Nepal”.

On Sunday evening, the Nepal government had chose to form a high-level political mechanism to redraw the borders of federal provinces outlined by the newly adopted constitution as part of its bid to end the prolonged Madhes crisis.

The Madhesis, the Indian-origin inhabitants of the Terai region, have been agitating over the new Constitution, demanding more representation.

Landlocked Nepal is heavily dependent on India for fuel and other supplies, but little cargo has crossed the border since the protests broke out, prompting Kathmandu to accuse New Delhi – which has criticised the new constitution – of imposing an “unofficial blockade”.

An emergency meeting of the Cabinet made a decision to form the mechanism with a mandate to submit reports with acceptable recommendations for all sides within three months of its formation.

Similarly, the meeting also urged the agitating parties to call off their protests, saying that their demands can be addressed through dialogue.

Nepal’s first woman President Vidya Devi Bhandari escaped unhurt yesterday as Madhesis attacked her motorcade with stones and hurled a petrol bomb at the famous Janaki temple she had visited, Nepalese authorities had said.

But they said they will continue their protests, including blocking highways and border points with India.