Nepali students protest ‘Indian intervention in Constitution’

The protest comes after the coalition government led by Prachanda registered a motion last week to amend the Constitution to accommodate some of the key demands of the Madhesi parties and other ethnic groups, including citizenship issue and delineation of provincial boundary. The students holding national flags raised slogans like “stop Indian conspiracy” and “expel Indian ambassador” during the protest, an eyewitness said.

Student leaders belonging to All Nepal National Free Students Union staged the protest and blamed India for “forcing” Nepal to amend the Constitution, according to Mahesh Bartaula, Vice-president of the organisation. The protest was held in the morning when some key Madhesi leaders of Nepal were invited at the embassy by Indian ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae for a meeting to reportedly discuss the issue of Constitution amendment.