‘Nepal comes first in India’s Neighbourhood First policy’
Prime Minister NarendraModionFriday announced a grant of ₹100 crore to develop the sacred city of Janakpur in Nepal, and said the country is at the top of India’s Neighbourhood First policy.
Modi, on his third visit to the Himalayan nation since assuming office in 2014, also flagged off a direct bus service between Janakpur and Ayodhya, the two sacred cities for Hindus, alongsidehisNepalesecounterpart KP Sharma Oli. The service is part of the Ramayana Circuit to promote religious tourism in Nepal and India. “Whenever there has been a problem, India and Nepal have stood together. We have been there for each other in the most difficult of times,” Modi said at a civic reception hosted by the Janakpur sub-metropolitan City at Barhabigha ground.
While announcing the ₹100crore package, Modi said central and provincial governments of Nepal will select the development projects and implement them.
He said the two neighbours can work on 5Ts — Tradition, Trade, Tourism, Technology and Transport — to achieve progress and prosperity.
Upon arrival in Janakpur earlier in the day, Modi offered special prayers at the famous Janaki
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temple and invoked mythological King Janak of Mithila and King Dashratha of Ayodhya. Janakpur is known as the birthplace of Sita, the wife of Lord Rama. At the civic reception, Modi initially spoke in Maithili, the main language in Janakpur and Province no 2 of Nepal, and said he was happy to link Janakpur with Ramayana Circuit.
Our relations do not have any definition but it is based on language, he said in Maithli. “Our ties are so old which is ahead than diplomacy, strategy and politics. It is Devniti that is guided by our relations. Changes in governments do not matter, our relations remain the same,” he said. Modi said he came to Janakpur as a pilgrim and not as PM, adding, “Ayodhya is incomplete without Janakidham. Similarly, Nepal is incomplete without India and India is incomplete without Nepal. ”
India has identified 15 destinations in India for development under the Ramayana Circuit theme: Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur & Chitrakoot (UP), Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar), Chitrakoot (MP), Mahendragiri (Odisha), Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh), Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra), Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (TN).
(With inputs from agencies)