Addressing a joint rally, Prachanda said that said Nepal was ready to address India's concerns but it should also reciprocate.
Nepal does not want to be India's "yes man", Maoist chief Prachanda said today, even as the country's top political leaders vowed to maintain good relations with both India and China. The former Prime Minister, who is known for his anti-India stance, said all neighbouring countries should welcome this historic moment of promulgation of the Constitution.
"Nepal wants to be a good friend of India, not the yes man," said Prachanda, a day after India expressed concern over the violent situation in several parts of Nepal along the Indian border and asked the country to resolve differences through dialogue.
Prachanda, addressing a joint rally at Tundikhel Open Ground here to mark the promulgation of the Constitution, said Nepal was ready to address India's concerns but it should also reciprocate.
"I hope India and China will show special respect to this historic achievement... As a good friend, Nepal will honour India's genuine concerns and interest and we expect the same from India," said Prachanda, who led a decade-long civil war in Nepal before joining the peace process in 2006.
Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, while addressing the same gathering, said Nepal wants to move forward by maintaining cordial relations with both neighbouring countries India and China. He also sought cooperation from all sides for the country to move forward on the path of development and economic progress as well as reconstruction following the devastation caused by the deadly earthquakes earlier this year.
CPN-UML chairman, K P Sharma Oli also called for friendly relations with neighbours.
Meanwhile, Indian envoy to Nepal Ranjit Rae today briefed the Indian government on the latest situation in the country after it adopted its new fully secular and democratic Constitution amid violent protests.
Mr Rae, who had spoken to the Nepalese Prime Minister yesterday to convey India's concerns over the violent situation in several parts of the country bordering it, has been called for "consultations", official sources in New Delhi said.