Kathmandu, Oct 25: Former Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Kamal Thapa has objected to Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle’s remarks on Nepal-India relations during his visit to New Delhi, demanding clarification from the government.
Thapa, a former foreign minister, said in a Facebook post on Saturday that Wagle’s remarks undermined Nepal’s national identity and called on the government to state its position.
Nepal’s nationalism is not based on opposition to any particular country, Thapa said. He argued that declaring on a foreign platform that “the era of anti-India nationalism is over” weakens Nepal’s position on matters of national interest.
Thapa said it was prejudicial to portray the national sentiment of an entire country narrowly by citing the views of a small group of people. Nepal’s nationalism, he added, centres on protecting the country’s sovereignty and the interests of its people.
Stressing that Nepal seeks equal and respectful relations with India, Thapa said speaking out against border encroachment, flooding caused by cross-border issues and blockades was an expression of national loyalty, not hostility towards India.
He also questioned whether Wagle’s latest remarks were linked to the “Monroe Doctrine” that the finance minister had reportedly advocated in the past. Thapa said officials holding responsible positions should clarify the matter.
“Is this the government’s position?” Thapa asked, demanding an explanation from the government over Wagle’s remarks.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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