A Twitter spat broke out on Thursday between the Indian embassy in Kathmandu and a Nepali news website, even as the controversy following the recalling of Nepali ambassador simmered.
The row began after E-Kantipur, a popular website reported that Vinay Kumar, the Indian Deputy Chief of Mission advised the Madhesi protesters in Saptari district to continue their protest against the government of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.
Mischievous, says embassyTweeting after the news was published, the Indian embassy accused the portal of disturbing bilateral ties.
“Kantipur report on DCM’s visit to Saptari is a piece of Yellow Journalism. No political issues were discussed during his visit. The focus of DCM in all meeting(s) was Indian financed projects in Saptari. The report is [a] mischievous effort to create controversies,” the embassy said in a series of tweets.
The portal reported that Mr. Kumar advised several leaders of the Madhesi Morcha to carry out capital-centric protests instead of district-centric agitation, to attract more attention to their demands for equal citizenship rights.
Official sources, however, pointed out that there was no bar on Indian diplomats meeting Nepali political figures and that bilateral ties are yet to get back on track. They said Nepal’s inability to notify India about recalling its ambassador indicates the ongoing chill in bilateral ties.
