Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, on June 28, said meetings were being organised in India to topple his government, reports suggest.
As per Oli, his government enjoys a parliamentary majority and plans of its ouster will fail. He made the remarks while addressing a gathering at his official residence to mark the 69th birth anniversary of the late communist leader Madan Bhandari.
“There is news coming from Delhi about this. Look at the meetings being organised in India against Nepal’s decision to amend the Constitution to place the revised map of the country in the national emblem,” The Hindu quoted Oli as saying.
“You must have heard that the prime minister will be changed in 15 days. If I am removed at this time, no one will dare to speak in favour of Nepal because that person will be dismissed immediately. I am not speaking for myself. I speak for the country. Our party, our parliamentary party will not fall into such traps. Those who are trying, let them try,” Oli added.
He added that India was upset over Nepal’s territorial assertion. The recent strain in relations between New Delhi and Kathmandu is being attributed to Nepal giving constitutional status to a new map of the country which includes the disputed Limpiadora-Kalapani-Lipulekh region that is in India’s state of Uttarakhand.
Nepal’s Lower House of Parliament unanimously passed the Second Constitution Amendment on June 13. The bill was signed by Nepal’s President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on June 18.
“Nepal’s nationalism is not so weak. We have changed our map and, if the prime minister of the country is deposed, then that will be unthinkable to Nepal,” Oli said.
Oli said some people considered the new map of Nepal a “crime”.
The prime minister also suggested that there was an external plot against his government in 2016. He recollected that his government fell at that time as he had reached out to China and signed transit agreements which reduced dependence on land connectivity through India.
"I clearly remember that I was toppled when I signed the transit agreement with China," he added.
However, the new map issue has not just created tensions with India, but has also led to internal criticism. According to the report by The Hindu, Oli has been criticised by colleagues from the faction of former Nepal prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ in the ongoing meeting of the powerful Standing Committee of the ruling Nepal Communist Party.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
