India’s Gadkari maintains Nepal should be Hindu state

RISHI DHAMALA (New Delhi): An influential Indian opposition party leader has reiterated that Nepal should be reinstated as a Hindu state. Stressing on the fact that a 85 percent of Nepal’s population is Hindu, Nitin Gadkhari, chairman of one of India’s strong Hindu nationalist party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Wednesday.
Gadkari said while his party did not had any position on reinstating the ousted Hindu monarchy in Nepal, said that his party is in favour of a Hindu Nepal.

Commenting on the ongoing political and constitutional status quo in Nepal, he asserted that Nepal’s political parties are capable of resolving the status quo through dialogue and consensus.
He said that his party was in favour of a politically stable Nepal and expressed confidence that the Nepalese people will chart a way out in the future.
In response to query on his party’s position on the issue of federalism in Nepal, Gadkari said that the issue should be dealt by the Nepalese people and political parties and refrained from having any stance on the issue.
Accusing the incumbent Man Mohan Singh led Congress I government of failing in Nepal policy, Gadkari said that his upcoming visit to Nepal will center on strengthening existing relationship between Nepal and India.