Indian leader says Nepal needs sensitive handling

A senior Indian politician has urged New Delhi to stop tackling Nepal issue at the bureaucratic level alone.

Sharad Yadav, president of Janata Dal (United) and head of Indo-Nepal Friendship Forum, has expressed concerns over the developments in Nepal and has said he will meet with Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh over this issue.

Yadav criticised New Delhi for tackling the Nepal issue at the bureaucratic level. He said that instead of a bureaucrat, a seasoned politician having the knowledge of the politics, history and culture of Nepal should be appointed as the Ambassador of India in Nepal, according to Indian media reports.

He said that Nepal is passing through truly historic times and it was the duty of all well wishers of Nepal to help consolidation of democracy there. ''This is a delicate job and cannot be left to the bureaucracy in foreign office alone. It requires sensitive handling by people whether in government or outside, who are well versed with politics, history and culture of Nepal.''

He urged Indian government to help the return of peace and democracy in the neighbouring country and facilitate the return of Maoists into the government.

Yadav told reporters in New Delhi that he would write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and also meet him, asking him to take note of the serious situation in Nepal and do everything possible within the limits of International laws governing the relations between the two countries.

He said that India, which is the closest and nearest neighbour having long and porous border with Nepal, could play a crucial role helping the peace process in the Himalayan nation and end of violence there.

Regretting that while the government was concentrating all its efforts and energy on the Indo-US nuclear deal, he said that it has closed its eyes to the disturbing developments in Nepal which could have wide-ranging ramifications for the country.

At a time when Nepal is witnessing disputes based on regional identity, Yadav also called on the Indian government to facilitate social harmony between the people of hills and Madhesis "to avoid a Bangladesh like situation in Nepal."

Yadav, who had spoken to Maoist leader Prachanda and other Nepali Congress leaders on telephone on Monday, said that the Maoist leader told him that though his party has withdrawn from the government on the issue of the fate of the King, they were in favour of and committed to the peace process. nepalnews.com sd Sep 26 07