Kathmandu, September 19

Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar today said India would like to see the promulgation of the new constitution in Nepal as a moment of joy, rather than agitation and violence.

Saying India has been strongly supportive of the constitution making process in Nepal, Jaishankar said in his pre-departure remarks: “We would like its completion to be an occasion of joy and satisfaction, not agitation and violence.”

Jaishankar, who had landed in Kathmandu as special envoy of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday, returned home early today.

During his stay in Kathmandu, he held intensive meetings with Nepal’s top leaders, including President Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and UCPN-Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal and senior Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba.

He had also met leaders of the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front Upendra Yadav and MJF-D Chair Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, among others. During these meetings, he conveyed Indian PM Modi’s message that leaders should ensure the widest possible acceptance of the new constitution by winning the confidence of protesting Madhesis, Tharus and Janajatis.

“We hope that Nepal’s political leaders will display the necessary flexibility and maturity at this crucial time to ensure a durable and resilient Constitution that has broad-based acceptance,” Jaishankar said.