India can't remain mute spectator to Nepal developments: BJP

Alleging the UPA government's neighbourhood policy is a "total failure", BJP on Tuesday said India cannot remain a mute spectator to developments in Nepal given their implications for New Delhi's security interests.

Alleging the UPA government's neighbourhood policy is a "total failure", BJP on Tuesday said India cannot remain a mute spectator to developments in Nepal given their implications for New Delhi's security interests.

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" Our security is very important consideration as far as Nepal is concerned. So India cannot remain a mute spectator," BJP Vice-President Yashwant Sinha told PTI.

He, however, said nobody, including BJP, believes that India should interfere in any country's internal matter.

"It is nobody's case, certainly it is not BJP's case that it should interfere in any country's internal matter but ...If the Nepalese citizens come and go without any restrictions and there are many of them in India, then any development in Nepal is of direct concern to India as a neighbour," the former External Affairs Minister said.

Nepal's Maoists have accused India of interfering in its internal matter by being behind the President Rambaran Yadav's move to block the sacking of army chief.

Sinha said "we certainly would like to look at the consequences of a step like removing the chief of army staff if it leads to political instability in Nepal, if it leads to chaos and that applies to Pakistan as well."

He said it was unfortunate the country has lost its clout with neighbours which it has always used to enjoy. "India's neighbourhood policy under the UPA government has been a total faliure... That is why Sri Lankans can tell India get lost, Nepal can say you are interfering," he said.