A day after Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli claimed that the 'real' Ayodhya was in Nepal, the country's foreign ministry has issued a statement claiming that the statement was not linked with any political issue, nor did he intend to hurt anyone's sentiments.
Nepal PM Oli had on Monday said that Lord Rama’s kingdom Ayodhya is located west of Birgunj in Nepal. He also claimed that India has created the disputed Ayodhya. Speaking at an event on the birth anniversary of Nepalese poet Bhanubhakta at the Prime Minister’s residence in Kathmandu, Oli said that Nepal "has become a victim of cultural encroachment and its history has been manipulated."
KP Oli's statement had drawn sharp criticism from the leader of India's ruling party BJP.
Condemning Oli for his remarks, BJP national spokesperson Bizay Sonkar Shastri said that the Left parties even in India played with people's faith, and the Communists in Nepal will be rejected by the masses in the same way they have been here.
"Lord Ram is a matter of faith for us, and people will not allow anybody, be it the prime minister of Nepal or anyone, to play with this," he said in New Delhi.
Nepal PM's statement came at a time when the relations between the two neighbouring nations are fading away.
However, Nepal's foreign ministry on Tuesday issued a clarification that PM KP Oli's statement was not linked to any political issue.
"The remarks made by the Prime Minister are not linked to any political subject and have no intention at all to hurt the feeling and sentiment of anyone," the statement said.
The statement claimed that PM's remarks were not meant to debasing the significance of Ayodhya and the cultural value it bears. Instead, it said, the PM was highlighting the importance of further studies and research of the vast cultural geography of the Ramayana.
"As there have been several myths and references about Shri Ram and the places associated with him, the Prime Minister was simply highlighting the importance of further studies and research of the vast cultural geography the Ramayana represents to obtain facts about Shri Ram, Ramayana and the various places linked to this rich civilisation," the statement said.
The statement from Nepal's foreign ministry also acknowledged that the two nations celebrate Bibaha Panchami, where a marriage procession coming from Ayodhya, India to Janakpur, Nepal takes place every year.
"The Prime Ministers of Nepal and India launched the Ramayana Circuit in May 2018, of which Janakpur-Ayodhya Passenger Bus Service is an important component. These facts signify the bond of time-honoured cultural affinity between our two countries and peoples," the statement added.