Slide in Indo-Nepal ties a ‘bad dream’, need to restore trust: Nepal envoy

The recent slide in Indo-Nepal ties was on Tuesday described as a “bad dream” by the outgoing Nepalese Ambassador Deep Kumar Upadhayay, who emphasised that the two countries had to work towards “repairing and mending” the relationship.

Suddenly recalled by his government amid reports that he was “colluding” with India to topple the government of Prime Minister KP Oli, Upadhayay denied the allegations and described his recall as a “political decision” attributable to “destiny”.

Upadhayay, a senior leader of the Nepali Congress, who leaves for Kathamandu, on Sunday after a brief tenure of over a year, said the visit of Nepal’s President Bhidya Devi Bhandari to India should not have been put off. She was due to visit this week, but the government cancelled the trip amid political turmoil in Nepal. Speaking about the future of ties, he said India should understand Nepal's problems and issues. He said he would not like to apportion the blame for the current strains in the ties but asserted that it takes “two hands to clap”.