A senior Indian leader on Thursday lashed out the Indian government for imposing blockade against Nepal.
Jogendra Sharma of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) came down heavily on Narendra Modi’s government for its action.
“Indian people are with Nepal people in their every suffering and pain,” he said while addressing the 13th General Convention of the Nepali Congress in the Capital on Thursday.
We protested within India against the blockade both from the streets and parliament under the leadership of our Secretary General Sitaram Yechuri, Sharma told the gathering to a thunderous round of applause from Nepali Congress cadres.
“We sought answers from Indian authorities and demanded an all-party delegation be sent to Nepal on a fact-finding mission.”
Nepal should open transit point with other countries if India continues to impose blockade, he said, adding that his party was happy with Nepal abolishing monarchy and turning into a secular country.
“Those elements trying to turn India into a Hindu state, are also trying to restore Nepal’s status as a Hindu state,” Sharma said.
Chief Minister of Indian state of Bihar and leader of Janata Dal United (JDU) Nitish Kumar, another foreign dignitary attending the convention, praised the NC for immense contribution in restoring democracy and for the dedication and struggle of its leaders. “When I was in Bhagalpur jail in Bihar, I met with late Sushil Koirala and Chakra Bastola there,” he said. He also recalled BP Koirala’s struggle for democracy.
Hailing the promulgation of new constitution as a remarkable step in Nepal, he said that Nepali leaders are capable of handling the internal challenges.
During an interaction with journalists before speaking at the convention, Kumar had urged not to drag India into the Madhes issue, calling it Nepal’s internal affair.
“The issue of Madhes is an internal affair of Nepal and leaders in Nepal are competent to handle it on their own,” he said.
Madhes-based leaders told me that they were compelled to go for agitation after rights of Madhesis which were ensured in the Interim Constitution of 2007 were curtailed. “I told them it is an internal matter of Nepal and resolve it within Nepal,” he made it clear. “Whatever problems Nepal has been facing have to be solved by Nepalis. India should not be dragged into Nepal’s internal affairs.”
Speaking on the occasion, former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and member of India Eminent Person’s Group on Nepal, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari said that Nepal-India ties are excellent and both nations hardly have any differences. Koshiyari, however, did not respond to a question of UCPN (Maoist) Pushpa Kamal Dahal during the function: What mistake did we make in promulgating the new constitution and why Nepal a cruel blockade was imposed on us?
Morcha boycotts NC convention
The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha boycotted the 13th Nepali Congress General Convention that got underway on Thursday. The Morcha, an alliance of various Madhes-centric parties, has been protesting against the recently promulgated constitution terming it ‘unfair’ to Madhesis.
“NC that had become the first party with votes from Madhes promulgated a constitution against the interest of Madhesi people,” Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato told the Post.
The alliance of Madhes-based parties that refused to mark its presence in the NC conclave had earlier voted in favour of late NC President Sushil Koirala during the election for prime minister. The NC had filed a constitution amendment proposal to address grievances of Madhes-based parties. But the Morcha did not welcome the move, saying the amendment failed to address its primary concern on the state demarcation.
However, the Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar-led Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Loktantrik that was ousted from the Morcha after it agreed to the 16-point agreement with the Nepali Congress, CPN (UML), UCPN (Maoist) on June 8, participated in the convention.
25.12°C Kathmandu
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