Not asked Nepal to carry out amendments in Constitution: India

NEW DELHI: India today reiterated that issues on which there are differences should be resolved through dialogue in Nepal but denied that it has asked Kathmandu to carry out amendments to ensure it was acceptable by Indian-origin community.

"India has not handed over any list of specific Constitutional amendments or changes to the Government of Nepal.

"Without being prescriptive on specific clauses, and as already stated earlier, we continue to urge that issues on which there are differences should be resolved through dialogue in an atmosphere free from violence, and institutionalised in a manner that would enable broad-based ownership and acceptance," the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said.

The remarks came in the backdrop of reports that India has conveyed to Nepal's leadership to carry out "seven amendments" to its newly promulgated Constitution to ensure it is acceptable to the Madhesis.

Madhesis are Indian-origin people living on the foothills of Nepal's Terai region.

India has been expressing its concerns over the continued violence in parts of Nepal bordering it.

"We are deeply concerned over the incidents of violence resulting in death and injury in regions of Nepal bordering India following the promulgation of Constitution...

"We had repeatedly cautioned the political leadership of Nepal to take urgent steps to defuse the tension in these regions. This, if done in a timely manner, could have avoided these serious developments," and hoped that initiatives will be taken by Nepal's leadership to effectively and credibly address the causes underlying the present state of confrontation," MEA had said in a statement.