Kathmandu, September 2

A fresh debate ensued between Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi and CPN-UML Vice-chairman Bhim Rawal regarding the former’s recent visit to India as Prime Minister’s special envoy, and his handing over a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At the meeting of International Relations and Labour Committee of the Parliament, Rawal demanded that the letter that Nidhi reportedly handed over to Modi on behalf of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal be made public.

Rawal claimed that the letter contained reference to Nepal’s new constitution, and its prospective amendment. He said this was against the spirit of national independence.

In response, Nidhi said the letter was just an acknowledgement to Modi for congratulating Dahal and it had updated the Indian PM on Nepal’s political developments.

He, however, refused to make the diplomatic letter public claiming it was sent by the prime minister to his counterpart.

Nidhi said PM Dahal had also written a letter to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in the same spirit that he had sent to the Indian Prime Minister, but questioned the intent behind the demand for making public only the letter handed over to the Indian PM.

The House panel had summoned deputy prime ministers Nidhi and Krishna Bahadur Mahara over their recent visits to India and China, respectively. Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat was also summoned.