#backoffIndia trends on Twitter
India’s reaction to the new Constitution promulgated by Nepal hasn’t gone down well with thousands of people, who are used #BackOffIndia on social media to accuse New Delhi of interfering in the country’s internal matters. Many tweets described India’s statements calling for wider consultations on the new Constitution as an instance of interference in Nepal’s internal affairs. By noon on Tuesday, the hashtag had garnered more than 50,000 tweets.
Experts in Nepal too expressed surprise at India’s reactions. “I was slightly taken aback by India’s statements. I can understand India’s concerns but they shouldn’t be seen as encouraging protesting parties,” said Bhekh Bahadur Thapa, a former envoy to India.
Indian envoy to Nepal Ranjit Rae on Monday briefed the government on the latest situation in that country after it adopted its new fully secular and democratic constitution amid violent protests in several parts of Nepal along the Indian border.
Rae, who had spoken to the Nepalese Prime Minister on Sunday to convey India’s concerns over the violent situation in several parts of the country bordering it, was called for “consultations” here, official sources said.
India has also told Nepal that issues on which there are differences should be “resolved through dialogue in an atmosphere free from violence and intimidation, and institutionalized in a manner that would enable broad-based ownership and acceptance”.
