Nepal levels three charges against its envoy to India

“Envoys should follow government's directives and maintain diplomatic decorum,” Minister for Defence Bhim Rawal said. Upadhyaya, a leader of opposition Nepali Congress who was appointed as Nepal's envoy to India in April last year, is being seen as the first casualty of the cancellation of Nepalese President Bidhya Devi Bhandari's planned visit to India. The diplomat has been also charged with siding with the Nepali Congress opposition in supporting a threat by the Maoist party to topple Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's government.

“He has been accused of being involved in toppling the government, breaching his jurisdiction without informing the government and visiting some western Nepal districts accompanying India's ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae”, Rawal added. The cancellation of President Bhandari's trip to India has no connection with the government's decision to recall Upadhyaya.

Meanwhile, Deputy PM Kamal Thapa, who is also the Minister for Foreign Affairs, briefed the Parliament about the cancellation of Bhandari's India visit. “We have informed the Indian government about the Presidents’ visit. He will pay a visit at an appropriate time to be fixed diplomatically”, he said. According to the report, Thapa said Upadhyaya's “recall was made in a bid to strengthen the existing relations between the two nations” but did not explain what the envoy failed to do to strengthen the ties.