JOIN USNepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Monday said his New Delhi visit has helped end the “misunderstanding” over the new statute promulgated in his country.
Oli, currently on a trip to India, assured that Kathmandu would never play the China card with India and his country would be firm in not allowing activities hostile to India.
His maiden visit to India after taking over as Prime Minister last October comes at a time when the two countries are working hard to put the row over the new statute behind.
Protests broke out Within Nepal as disgruntled communities like Madhesis and Tharus feared that the new statute adopted by the country’s Constituent Assembly would further marginalised them and did not meet their aspirations. India also prodded the neighbouring country to ensure that the new statute is inclusive in its approach.
“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,” Oli said while delivering the 21st Sapru House Lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs in New Delhi on Monday.
“In my meetings with President, Vice President, Prime Minister and all 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,” he further added, noting that he was convinced that the misunderstanding between the two countries did not persist any more after exchanging his views with Indian leaders. Oli said aligning with India against China or vice versa is not a viable option for Nepal. “As neighbours, we continue to have good relations with both and one cannot be compared with the other,” the Nepalese PM said.
Meeting Oli on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him on the new Nepalese Constitution.