Valley
DPM Nidhi briefs House about New Delhi visit
Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi informed Parliament on Sunday about his recent visit to India as a special representative of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi informed Parliament on Sunday about his recent visit to India as a special representative of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
Nidhi also shared that he had handed over letter from President Bidhya Devi Bhandari extending invitation to Indian President Pranab Mukherjee for a state visit to Nepal, and shared with Indian leaders the new government’s priority to implement the constitution by bringing all sides on the board.
In the letter to Modi, Nidhi said, “we sought strong bonds with India following the formation of the new government in Nepal and sought India’s support to our endeavours.”
The main opposition CPN- UML had demanded answer from the government for sending special envoys to the country.
“Our guiding foreign policy is based on UN principles and Panchaseel. But we came to know that the government had sent a letter to the Indian PM with details on the implementation of the constitution which was against our constitution and its spirit,” said former DPM Bhim Rawal in the House.
Nidhi, who visited New Delhi from August 18 to 23, said he had apprised various Indian political party leaders of Nepal government’s priorities to hold timely elections at all three levels—local, provincial and federal—as part of the constitution implementation process.
During Sunday’s meeting of the Legislature-Parliament, DPM Nidhi said the visit helped consolidate bilateral relations, expand collaboration and lay the ground works for exchange of high-level visits between the two countries. It has been 28 years since the last visit to Nepal by an Indian President, he said.
Nidhi also stressed the need for necessary efforts by both Nepal and India to run regular development programmes and if Nepal wants to benefit from India’s rapid economic progress.
Indian leaders have expressed commitment for continuous Indian support in socio-economic development endeavors of Nepal, he added.