New Delhi: (Apr 28) Former Nepalese prime minister Baburam Bhattarai on Monday emphasised on the historic ties between India and Nepal, and suggested that the PMs of both countries should sit together to “resolve outstanding issues”.
Interacting with reporters here, Bhattarai said that he met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during his ongoing India visit and had a brief discussion with him.
He also spoke about the political landscape of the Himalayan nation and the “revolution” his country saw in the making of a constitutional democracy.
“The political instability in Nepal is a product of an unfinished revolution or a very prolonged transition after a political revolution,” he said in his opening remarks before fielding questions from reporters on a wide range of subjects.
On India-Nepal relations, he underlined the historic ties between the two neighbours and said “dialogue is the best way to resolve outstanding issues” between the two countries.
He referred to the border disputes like the Kalapani issue, among other issues, inherited over the last century or so.
Bhattarai also referred to the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli and the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship to buttress his point.
“Until and unless we have a good relationship with India, especially in economic cooperation, it is very difficult for Nepal to prosper in short time. Because of ceratin misunderstanding, or issues left behind by history, which we have not been able to resolve… We need to discuss it thoroughly,” he said.
“It is high time, our two prime ministers meet together and resolve the outstanding problems left by history, and have a close working relationship between India and Nepal,” the former PM of Nepal said.
India is a “rising regional power”, while Nepal has been lagging, he said.
“We need a good understanding among the top political leadership. Whatever problems are left behind by history need to be resolved through dialogues,” Bhattarai said.
On a question on China-Nepal ties, he said that Nepal is “never going to be used as a card against India”.
Later, interacting with PTI Videos, Bhattarai said, “We are the closest neighbours, historically, politically, culturally, and socially.” “But, because of some misunderstanding or wrong policies followed by both governments, our relations have been strained for some time. So, I wish these strained ties will be resolved, and both countries can prosper together,” he said.
“Old issues should be resolved through dialogues, this is my humble suggestion,” he added.
The former PM of Nepal said his country needs investment from India, and there is potential in tourism, industrial, health, and IT sectors.
On the future roadmap of Nepal, he said Nepal was late to abolish the monarchy and walk on the path of democracy.
“We are doing quite well, and there is no reason we should go back. Anything that is dead cannot be resurrected, and in the case of Nepalese monarchy, the same rule applies,” he underlined.
The dividends of a revolution should go to the masses or the people in the form of socio-economic transformation or rapid economic development, he said.
“But in Nepal, though we formed our own Constitution through a Constituent Assembly, in which I had a role to play as a chairman of the Constituent Committee… because of some lacunae in the form of governance or electoral system, we have had constant political instability,” Bhattarai added.
He termed the political revolution in Nepal as a “great victory” as it “overthrew a monarchy”, but lamented it was “partly unsuccessful” in the country.
In his opening remarks, he also proposed that Nepal should go for a “directly elected president and a fully proportional parliament.”
