Kathmandu: More than 40 people were killed as violence broke out following the adoption of the new constitution by the Nepalese parliament. Clashes continue to intensify as huge demonstrations are being held in different parts of the Himalayan country. There are also reports of a bomb blast in Lamki.
Nepal's seventh constitution in 67 years became a topic of concern after President Ram Baran Yadav promulgated it from a rostrum inside the Constituent Assembly in Kathmandu by putting his signature to five copies of the new constitution. “I hereby announce the commencement of the new constitution,” he addressed the Assembly and the nation. Although it marks the region as a secular and democratic republic, at least 60 representatives from Madhes-centric parties and indigenous groups, boycotted the event, calling it a “farce” that has denied them their rights.
The Madhesis have been antipathetic to their new constitution. They have been fighting for equal representation in the country's political structure and the new constitution, which now, they feel has failed to meet with their demands. The constitution promises to identify seven provinces of the country for administrative purposes. The clashes also causes concerns in India as the Madhes region shares its borders with Bihar, an election- bound Indian state. Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar rushed to Kathmandu to deal with the issue firsthand.
In a text titled “Statement on the situation in Nepal,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said that it has always supported a “federal, democratic, republican and inclusive constitution.” Crucially, it didn’t say whether, in India’s opinion, Nepal’s new constitution could be defined as that, but it did include a paragraph on its concerns about “the situation in several parts of the country bordering India” where violence has broken out in recent weeks. The statement further said, “We are concerned that the situation in several parts of the country bordering India continues to be violent. Our ambassador in Kathmandu has spoken to the Prime Minister of Nepal in this regard. We urge that issues on which there are differences should be resolved through dialogue in an atmosphere free from violence and intimidation, and institutionalised in a manner that would enable broad-based ownership and acceptance. This would lay the foundation of harmony, progress and development in Nepal.”
As violence refused to mellow, India was forced to call Indian Ambassador Ranjit Rae back to Delhi for consultations. It also issued its third rather stern statement warning Nepal government to act accordingly and as needed. It read that it “repeatedly cautioned the political leadership of Nepal to take urgent steps to defuse the tension in [the Terai] region. This, if done in a timely manner, could have avoided these serious developments,” the statement added.
India's reaction has not gone well with the Nepalese government and the protesters, as #BackOffIndia soon began to trend on Twitter and Facebook accusing New Delhi of interfering in the country’s internal matters. Nepal’s Ambassador to India, Deep Kumar Upadhyay said he was “completely surprised” by the neighbouring country's reaction. “On a day when Nepal was celebrating, India didn’t join in with us, that surprised us. I wish they had taken us into confidence about their reservations earlier,” Upadhyay said, adding that Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar’s mission to Nepal last Friday, just before Sunday’s ceremony “came too late”. “We hope India realises this Constitution is just the beginning, a starting point from which we can move ahead to resolve our differences,” he said.
Meanwhile, the United Nations, acknowledging the adoption of the constitution, has voiced its concern about the drama that unfolds. Spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, Stephanie Dujarric said, “Noting that the constitution is a living document, UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon has urged the political leaders to act in the broad national interest with continued flexibility and inclusivity.” “A peaceful and democratic Nepal is what the people of Nepal seek and deserve,” Dujarric said.
The new Constitution has 37 divisions, 304 articles and seven annexes. The seven provinces will be finalised by a high-level commission within a year.
