Constitutional amendments fulfil 99% Madhesi demands: Bhagat Singh Koshiyari

KATHMANDU: Recent amendments to Nepal's new constitution fulfil 99 per cent demands of the agitating Madhesi parties and would bring peace and stability in the country, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Bhagat Singh Koshiyari said today.

"India wants to see that peace and political stability is maintained in Nepal and the country moves forward on the path of economic prosperity," Koshiyari said, who is visiting Kathmandu to attend the 13th general convention of the Nepali Congress from Thursday onwards.

Describing the recent constitutional amendements as a "positive sign", Koshiyari said: "Through the constitution amendments 99 per cent of the demands of the Madhesi people were fulfilled and the remaining 1 percent will also be fulfilled through dialogue and negotiations."

"Everything will be all right, I am confident that the remaining problems will also be resolved soon," he said.

He also said that Indo-Nepal relations are in excellent shape and "no matter which political party in India comes in power, all wanted to maintain good friendly relations with Nepal".

Answering a question regarding the recent blockade on the country's southern border, he said: "India do not want to cause any inconvenience to Nepalese people and it doesn't want anything that would harm the people of Nepal."

He said India wants to collaborate with Nepal in hydro-power sector and is also considering to connect Kathmandu to India through a railway line.

"India should not only connect its railway to Badrinath but it should also connect it to Pashupatinath as well."

Supporting the 1990 Indo-Nepal peace and friendship treaty, the former chief minister said that those who are talking about changing it have not gone through the provisions of the treaty.