Nepal recalled its envoy to India, Deep Kumar Upadhyay, on Friday under allegations of non-cooperation. Upadhyay allegedly was recalled as he opposed to postponing Nepali President Bidhya Devi Bhandari’s visit to India.
Upadhyay has said that he has not received any formal order but has been asked to go back to Nepal.
Upadhyaya had “confronted” with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli regarding the cancellation of President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s scheduled visit to India, Nepalese Foreign Ministry sources said. He had also allegedly opposed to Oli’s India visit in February, according to Kathmandu Post.
He was recalled for three alleged reasons, according to Kathmandu Post:
- Trying to topple KP Oli’s government
- Entering Nepal without informing authorities
- Coaxing Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Ranjit Rae, to visit conflicted Madhes districts
Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari was scheduled to visit India starting 9 May on the invitation of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee.
As a part of her visit, she was to participate in a ‘Shahi Snan’ in Ujjain’s Simhastha Kumbh on 14 May.
Indian government sources had said earlier on Friday:
We have learnt that Nepali President Bidyadevi Bhandari’s official visit to India has been postponed by the Nepali side. We understand that this is on account of the political developments in Nepal.
Upadhyay is an opposition leader of Nepali Congress and was appointed a the envoy to India in April 2015.
He has also been accused of visiting Madhes districts of southern Nepal along with Indian envoy Ranjit Rae without informing the Foreign ministry, The Kathmandu Post reported.
The Nepalese diplomat has been also charged with involvement in toppling the Oli government, it added.
Prime Minister Oli on Thursday survived a threat to his government after a U-turn by Prachanda-led Maoists.
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