Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa said on Friday that the assurances given by some top political leaders to the Indian leadership during the constitution drafting process was the major source of standoff with India.

Though the issue of Madhes was also a key cause of the Tarai crisis, the Indian leadership felt that the Nepali leadership did not fulfil the assurances given to the Indian leaders, Thapa said during a consultation with former foreign ministers, chiefs of the international department of major political parties, former ambassadors and foreign secretaries at the ministry.

In order to seek a solution to the present political and diplomatic row with India and the unrest in Tarai, the ministry organised the discussion with the stakeholders.

But the DPM did not elaborate on the assurance that was given by the Nepali leadership to Indian leaders prior to the promulgation of the new constitution. It is said that Nepal’s leaders assured India that the constitution would be promulgated through consensus and that “secularism” would be dropped. But the Indian side has kept mum over the issue of religion.

While sharing his impression of his meetings with the Indian leadership during his visit to New Delhi shortly after assuming office, Thapa said the Indian establishment felt that its sincere advice was ignored while finalising the constitution.

Former minister Prakash Chandra Lohani asked Thapa for the details of such assurance extended by the Nepali leadership. He stressed that the Nepali people should not suffer due to the conduct of some leaders. “The political process can take time but the obstruction in trade and transit should be resolved urgently,” he said.

Another former minister, Ram Sharan Mahat suggested back-channel negotiation besides discussing the issue with India at the government level.

MJF-Loktantrik leader Jitenrda Dev said time had come for an overhaul of Nepal’s foreign policy. “Our relations with India and China should be based on pragmatism.”

Former ambassadors Hiranya Lal Shrestha and Rajeshwor Acharya urged the government to import fuel from China, internationalise the blockade and expedite talks with the protesting parties.

DPM Thapa says the blockade is a result of some top leaders not fulfilling the promises made to Indian leadership