Nepal

India to support to peace process

India to support to peace process

By Ram Kumar Kamat

NEW DELHI; Senior CPN-UML leader KP Sharma Oli on Monday met Indian political leaders and Foreign Secretary and discussed issues of Nepal’s peace process and contemporary politics. Oli, who suffers from kidney ailment, came to the Indian capital yesterday for his routine health check-up. In his meeting with India’s foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon, Oli said that his party was committed to bring the peace process to a logical end by pursuing the policy of consensus. “I told him our party will leave no stones unturned to pursue the politics of consensus. I also assured him that we would be able to bring the Maoists on board,” Oli told The Himalayan Times. According to Yubraj Banskota, chairman of the UML-affiliated Akhil Bharat Nepali Swatantra Bidhyarthi Union, Menon inquired about the current political situation, UML’s future role in bringing the peace process to logical end and Maoist’s commitment to peace process. Menon reaffirmed the Indian government’s continued support to Nepal’s peace process and the constitution making process, Oli said. Oli also told Menon that his party was in favour of working in accordance with the spirit of the fresh mandate which was in favour of peaceful resolution of the country’s problems and the politics of consensus. “We will try to bring everybody on board, but if somebody dithers, then they will solely be responsible for their acts,” Banskota quoted Oli as telling Menon. Oli also met CPI General Secretary AB Bardhan and leader D Raja today. Both the Indian communist leaders congratulated UML-led new government and wished the stability of the government. “We have old and cordial relations with these leaders. They told us that they would continue to support the democratic process of Nepal as they did in the past,” Oli said. The senior UML leader said the Indian government still held doubts about Maoists’ intent. According to Banskota Oli told the Indian leaders that the politics of violence could not prevail because Nepali people had become aware. “No political parties can impose their orthodoxy on the people,” Banskota quoted Oli as saying. Late this evening, Oli held talks with CPI (M) general Secretary Prakash Karat, party leader Sita Ram Yechuri and Anil Gupta of BJP’s foreign department cell. He briefed them about the current political situation in Nepal. According to Banskota, who was privy to the meeting, Karat and Yechuri told the UML leader that Maoist violence was a problem for both the nations. “The Indian communist leaders also told Oli that they too have been targeted by the Maoists in West Bengal and dozens of their cadres have been killed by the rebels,” he added. Oli is scheduled to meet Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, some NDA leaders and leaders of socialist movement on Tuesday.