Former Indian envoy to Nepal, K V Rajan, has said the Indian government may have been facing legal difficulties in releasing the Nepali Maoist detainees who were charged of violating the country’s law.

Former Indian ambassador to Nepal K. V. Rajan (File Photo)

Former Indian ambassador to Nepal K. V. Rajan (File Photo)
Reports say as many as 140 Nepali Maoist leaders and cadres are languishing in various Indian jails for the last several years.

Addressing the “face to face” programme at the Reporter’s Club on Friday, Rajan, however, said India should release the detainees as it does not have any more threat from the Maoists.

Rajan– who had key role in signing the Mahakali treaty that has been the prime subject of controversy in Nepali politics for years– said India was now concerned about Nepal’s economic rebuilding, establishment of peace, resumption of the works of infrastructure development and increasing volume of trade with Nepal.

Rajan further said that India should not have any reservation regarding the involvement of the UN for arms management in Nepal. “I think Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had clarified Indian position (regarding UN’s involvement) during the visit of Prime Minister G P Koirala. It is, however, up to the people and government of Nepal to decide over the issue,” he noted. The Maoists should ensure that the arms are laid off permanently after the constituent assembly polls, said the Indian diplomat.

Rajan said he had advocated in many forums that Nepal would never be a failed state at a time when people were speculating that Nepal was likely to turn into a failed state.

He also urged political leaders of Nepal to make joint efforts to start rebuilding rather than lingering with statements and counter-statements on trivial issues and enforce the agreement reached between the parties and the Maoists. He stressed that the Maoists should by now realize that armed rebellion was not an appropriate means for social and economic transformation of a country.

He said India was interested to build relations with Nepal on the new concept of inter-dependence.

Rajan is in Kathmandu in a private visit.