‘Not debasing Ayodhya’: Nepal in damage control after Oli’s Ramayana fiasco - Hindustan Times

Kathmandu has issued a clarification over Nepal prime minister KP Sharma Oli’s controversial claim that Hindu deity Ram was born in the Himalayan country and the real Ayodhya, believed to be his birthplace, was not located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh but was in Nepal.

A statement from Nepal’s foreign ministry said Oli’s remarks were not political and not meant to disrespect Ayodhya and its significance.

“Remarks made by the prime minister are not linked to any political subject and have no intention to hurt the feelings and sentiments of anyone,” the Nepal foreign ministry’s statement said and added that “the remarks were not meant to debasing the significance of Ayodhya and the cultural value it bears”

While Oli’s unexpected territorial claim followed by allegations that India was behind moves to have him dethroned have been rejected by New Delhi, some have looked at it with suspicion even in Nepal, accusing Oli of playing the India card to hide his own government’s alleged failures

Oli’s recent claim about Lord Rama, too, has drawn sharp reactions from both inside India and Nepal

Former Nepal PM Baburam Bhattarai had tweeted yesterday to suggest that Oli’s claim was outlandish

“Oli Ji should know that Nepal has also been a part of Aryavarta (India) in the past,” he added

“Although real Ayodhya lies at Thori, a city in the west of Birgunj, India has claimed that Lord Rama was born there