No good neighbourly relations at cost of national security:Oli

Kathmandu: Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli today said he cannot compromise national security in the name of maintaining cordial relations with neighbours, without naming any specific country.

"Maintaining good relation with neighbouring countries is an important aspect of national security but we cannot jeopardise national security for the sake of maintaining good neighbourly relations," Oli said without elaborating on the issue.

"Neither we think against anyone nor we have spoken against anyone. We won't let this country be used against others. Competition should be for various other issues but not on national security," he said while addressing a National Security Seminar here.

The issue of national security was not related to any particular person or party but the country as a whole, Oli said, hinting towards the absence of key leaders including Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" in the meeting.

The embattled leader's remarks came a day after a veteran Communist leader accused India of attempting to topple the Oli-led government in a bid to derail growing Nepal-China ties.

Opposition parties yesterday tabled a no-confidence motion against Oli after he refused to resign despite his coalition government being reduced to a minority, plunging the country into fresh political instability.
Pointing to the ongoing protests being launched by the Madhesis and ethnic communities in the southern Nepal districts, Oli said the new Constitution had not discriminated anyone.
He said the new Constitution could only be amended as no provision for rewriting is mentioned in it, a demand put forth by some agitating Madhesi leaders.

Oli said the government was ready to redraw the federal boundaries as per the demand of Terai-based political parties, "But such drawings should be a justifiable one".

Nepal Workers and Peasants Party Chairman Narayan Man Bijukchhe said Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Prachanda were trying to topple the CPN-UML Chairman Oli-led government under the direction of the southern neighbour.

Bijukchhe alleged that India wanted to topple the Oli government which was planning to ensure an early visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping