Pro-monarchy party wants India to be neutral

August 05, 2014 01:10 am | Updated November 16, 2021 05:45 pm IST - Kathmandu:

Nepal’s pro-monarchy and pro-Hindu party leaders on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s “neutrality” on the Constitution-writing matter in the Himalayan country.

“I requested Mr. Modi for India’s neutrality on the Constitution writing process, reminding him that we represent the other spectrum of polity,” Kamal Thapa, chairman of Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (Nepal) told The Hindu about his meeting with the Prime Minister.

“I have pointed out that federalism, secularism and republicanism are merely technical definitions and not yet decided by the people. The Constitution has not been written yet,” he said. The Interim Constitution of Nepal 2007 mentions Nepal as a federal democratic republican and secular state.

Mr. Modi promised India’s neutrality on that front, Mr. Thapa added.

Initially, there were unconfirmed reports about the meeting between the two not taking place.

Mr. Modi reportedly refused to meet the former king, Gyanendra Shah.

In his highly-praised address to Nepal’s Parliament on Sunday, Mr. Modi, while speaking about the Constitution-writing process, had emphasised that India would not interfere in its maters and would support the path chosen by Nepali people.

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