Nepal prime minister Sushil Koirala has cancelled his visit to the UN general Assembly to stay back and find a... Read More

NEW DELHI: Nepal prime minister Sushil Koirala has cancelled his visit to the UN general Assembly to stay back and find a solution to the political crisis and spiraling violence in Nepal's Terai region - a fallout of the controversial provisions in the new Nepal Constitution .

Meanwhile, Kathmandu was sending out peace signals to India. Nepal ambassador Deep Upadhayay told TOI: "Prime Minister Modi has not yet spoken. I am confident he will be able to handle it properly. After his visits (to Nepal), the scenario has changed a lot between our countries. There is only positivity of the Nepali people for India."

Upadhyay asserted that India had not prescribed any changes in the Nepal constitution . Earlier on Wednesday, MEA official spokesperson had also denied this: "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."

BLOG: Nepal messed up its constitution, India messed up its handling of Nepal

India's concerns about the constitution and the protests in Terai have made Koirala to go to the offices of the Madhesi group leaders to invite them for talks on finding a solution. "We cannot allow this to continue," he said. "Neither India nor Nepal will win from these troubles." Leaders of the three main political parties, NC, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) met yesterday and decided to initiate talks with the disaffected groups. They also decided to withdraw security forces from the Terai region before the talks.

This is the first sign that a solution may be in sight. "If protests are peaceful, then demands can be addressed and met. But when there is violence, challenge of law and order, attacks on government buildings, what can the state do?" asked Upadhyay.

READ ALSO: 'Can't make everyone happy,' Nepal says on new constitution

Forest Minister Mahesh Acharya has reportedly been appointed the coordinator for holding talks with a major Madhesi party, Madhesi Peoples Rights Forum-Democratic led by Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar and Tharuwan Struggle Committee. Over the past month, over 40 people have died in violent clashes in the Terai region as they opposed the constitution on primarily three counts - redrawing of the provinces, representation of the Madhesis, Tharus and other backward communities, citizenship reforms etc.

Clashes between protesters and Nepali security forces continue at the border points in Nepal, near Birganj and Biratnagar, which has affected the movement of vehicles carrying essential supplies into Nepal. Upadhyay said it has been decided in Kathmandu to provide security and escort groups of trucks and supply vehicles through the troubled Terai region.

READ ALSO: Protests echo in Terai region as Nepal adopts constitution

Was the MEA reaction to the Nepal constitution too harsh? Upadhyay said, "The government of India is not directly involved in this, it's a purely internal issue of Nepal. But because of the closeness of our relations, if there is unrest, it’s naturally the concern of the Indian government. ... We should think positively. There may have been some kind of misunderstanding. We have to patch it up."

Reports from Nepal quoted former PM Madhav Nepal taking exception to India's reaction. "India being a mature and largest democracy should not have displayed immature and irresponsible behavior towards Nepal after the promulgation of the constitution," Madhav said.

READ ALSO: Outbreak of violence amid first signs of Nepal's reconstruction in decades