Envoy Recalled by Nepal: ‘If anyone has proof, they should produce it… else it is hearsay’

Upadhyay, who is at the centre of a storm following his recall by the Oli government, said he hoped that “better sense prevails” in Kathmandu, as he waited for the official communication from Nepal’s foreign ministry.

In a conversation with The Indian Express, he described Oli as a “friend”.

Blog | Nepal recalls envoy: Why shoot the messenger, Mr Oli? 

“Until and unless the Nepal’s Foreign ministry makes a statement in writing or orally, everything is hearsay,” he said.

“You should assess my work during the earthquake, the disruption of supplies and in strengthening the business ties between the two countries,” Upadhyay, who was Nepal’s envoy over the crisis-ridden last 12 months, said.

Read | Bhandari visit called off, India-Nepal ties on a slide again

Upadhyay, who is said to have counseled his government against cancelling Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari’s visit to India, said, “If President comes, it will be good for the relationship, engagement is very important at the highest level. The visit of our PM K P Sharma Oli was very good and dispelled the misunderstanding. But, at present, it (Bhadhari’s visit) is only suspended and not postponed.”

Read | Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari’s India trip cancelled, envoy recalled

“I hope better sense prevails… peace, stability and prosperity should be the only aim of Nepal. And only way is to develop mutual trust with India,” he said.

On allegations that he was travelling to places in Nepal with Indian ambassador Ranjit Rae, he said, “Every envoy has a style of functioning. Apart from writing notes to MEA and Foreign Ministry, promoting region-to-region cooperation is also part of my agenda.

There was a programme in western Nepal about two months ago, where I and Ranjit Rae were supposed to travel together but we could not go, at the eleventh hour.”

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When asked if he will join politics – he was a politician with Nepali Congress earlier – he said, “Till I am a envoy, I should not exceed the ethical parameters. I will talk to my friends and then take a decision. All are friends of mine…every minister, and even PM (K P Oli) is (a) good friend of mine.”

Stressing that he does not want to make an issue out of a non-issue, he said people should have respect for the political process in Nepal. “I belong to the same social and political spectrum,” he said.

Updhyay was appointed Nepal’s ambassador to India by former Nepal PM Sushil Kumar Koirala early in 2015. He has been a Central Working Committee member of the Nepali Congress and had served as an assistant finance minister.

Uphadhyay, who hails from Kapilavastu district in southern Nepal, contested the 2008 Constituent Assembly election and was elected from Kapilavastu-1 constituency, but lost the polls from the same constituency in 2014.

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