Work unitedly on drafting constitution: India urges Nepalese leaders

NEW DELHI: India today hoped that Nepalese leaders will work together to draw up a constitution for their country after a strike was enforced due to differences over its drafting by a Maoist-led opposition alliance with reports of vandalism and arson coming from across the Himalayan nation.

"It is our expectation that all Nepalese leaders will work together in the final stage of the peace process to draw up a Constitution that honours past agreements and understandings as well as the mandate of the Constituent Assembly elections," said Ministry of External Affairs spokesman, Syed Akbaruddin.

A 19-party alliance led by UCPN-Maoist, Joint Madhesi Front and other fringe parties have backed the agitation in Nepal aimed at disrupting the process adopted by the Nepali Congress-led government to promulgate the Constitution through voting.

The Nepali Congress and CPN-UML-led alliance has more than a two-thirds majority in the 601-member Constituent Assembly that is required to write the Constitution.

Schools, colleges and markets were closed and private and public transport services were halted during the countrywide general strike.

The Federation of Nepalese Journalists has said that protesters vandalised vehicles belonging to press agencies and misbehaved with journalists in various parts of the country during the strike.