Communist Party of India urges govt to have friendly ties with Nepal
KATHMANDU: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Thursday urged the Indian government to establish close relation with Nepal without interfering in its internal affairs, Outlook THE NEWS SCROLL reported.
Reacting to the recent victory of the left alliance in the elections to the House of Representatives and the State Assembly, former general secretary of CPI-M Prakash Karat suggested that India needed to change its attitude towards Nepal.
In an editorial in the forthcoming edition of party organ 'People's Democracy', he said relations between the two countries should be based on equality.
"The important political development in Nepal should lead to a re-thinking and change in India’s attitude to Nepal. The Modi government should strive to establish close relations of cooperation based on equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of Nepal," Karat wrote.
It said the big victory of the Communist alliance would have its "repercussions in South Asia too", and observed that the "Indian government should recognise the reality that Nepal would like to maintain cordial relations with both India and China – its two big neighbours".
The former general secretary of CPI-M opined that India should not view Nepal’s assertion of an independent foreign policy with suspicion.
"Like the rest of South Asia, Nepal too intends to cooperate with the Belt and Road Initiative. India should not view Nepal’s assertion of an independent foreign policy with suspicion but work towards strengthening the natural affinity historically and culturally ordained between Nepal and India," Karat emphasised.
The editorial also criticised the Modi government's moves in 2015 relating to an economic blockade sparked by the Madhesi agitation in Nepal.
The Centre should take positive measures to assist Nepal’s economic development and build on the two countries' common cultural heritage, he said.
Extending full support to the Nepali Communists, he said the Left alliance government in Kathmandu has the "golden opportunity" to implement a Left-oriented programme for economic and social progress to provide a better life to the people of Nepal.
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