The Hindu : National : India ready to assist Nepal in its transformation: Saran

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India ready to assist Nepal in its transformation: Saran

K. Balchand

Nitish hails dawn of new era in Kathmandu

— Photo: Ranjeet Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (centre) lighting a lamp to inaugurate a seminar on ‘Emerging Trends in India-Nepal Relations’ in Patna on Saturday. Minister for Physical Planning and Works of Nepal, Hisila Yami (left) and Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh are also seen.

PATNA: The recent Constituent Assembly elections in Nepal and ties between New Delhi and Kathmandu including treaties came into focus at a two-day seminar which began here on Saturday.

At a session on political dimensions, the special envoy of the Prime Minister Shyam Saran said India stood ready to assist Nepal in the continuing process of its political and economic transformation.

Allays fears

Allaying fears in some quarters, he said: “Throughout the peace process in Nepal, India has not played favourites with this or that party. Our stand has been that it is for the people of Nepal to deliver, through free and fair elections, their verdict on who should govern them and in what manner.”

Inaugurating the seminar on “Emerging Trends in India-Nepal Relations” sponsored jointly by the External Affairs Ministry and the Bihar government, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stressed the inseparable bonding of the two countries and hailed the dawn of a new era in Nepal. He saw Bihar’s 700-km border as support for Nepal in its pursuit of economic recovery, development and growth.

The proposed 1,500-km road project along the border and cross-border rail links at five locations would be a boost to linkages and would promote trade.

On water resources, Mr. Kumar called for mutual cooperation and promised India’s investment and expertise in developing Nepal as a hydro-electric market. He suggested construction of high dams with the assurance that India would purchase the power generated.

Nepal Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hisila Yami viewed the poll results as a “mandate for opening a new chapter in Nepal-India relations. This means, we the Nepalese have to get over the hangover of cold war days whereby Nepal was considered a buffer zone between India and China by the past Nepalese rulers. Instead, now we have to act as a bridge between the two countries to gain from the economic development of both countries.”

Ms. Yami hailed India’s support to the transition, “whereby Republic [in Nepal] has become official, legal and now awaiting to be implemented soon.” On the open border between India and Nepal, she said Kathmandu wanted it “managed effectively and controlled.”

Senior Polit Bureau member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) C.P. Gajurel hailed prosperity in India and China as it would help his party, which gained the upper hand in the CA, and stressed that it was in Nepal’s interest. He said his party’s foreign policy would be based on Panchsheel and equi-proximity.

The CPN(Maoist) was not interested in developing special relations with either India or China to avoid causing disadvantage to either of them. “We’ll not play the China card against India and the India card against China.”

The Nepalese Ambassador to India, Durgesh Mansingh, chaired a session on “Political dimensions of India-Nepal relations.” Union Minister of State for Commerce and Power Jairam Ramesh attended the seminar.

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