India has not interfered in Nepal's constitutional amendment process: MEA

 India today made it clear that it has never put any pressure on Nepal or the embattled Madhesi groups, adding that it wants an "inclusive" Constitution. It also rejected the notion that it interfered in the process of constitutional amendments in the Himalayan nation.

MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said India wants an inclusive Constitution by taking people of different segments on board. Responding to a question on whether the Indian embassy in Kathmandu pressed the Madhesi parties to go for elections after putting constitutional amendments on hold, Baglay said the embassy was in touch with all political segments. "India's position is very clear. It has never been to pressure or to be prescriptive," he said.

"We support the aspiration to have an inclusive political order, an inclusive Constitution and consultations to arrive at such provisions which satisfy everyone, every party, every political segment...every view is taken on board," he said. Ties between India and Nepal have come under strain over the adoption of the Constitution by Nepal, which India suggested was not "inclusive".

The Nepal government has tabled the new Constitution amendment bill in Parliament to address the demands of the agitating Madhesi parties ahead of the local elections. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution which they felt marginalised the Terai community.