China’s support for Nepal’s new constitution has left Madhesi leaders fuming, prompting one of them to criticise Beijing for ‘hurting the sentiment of one third of Nepali people’.

Madhesi leader Rajendra Mahato told journalists in Kathmandu on Friday. “We are sad that China welcomed a constitution that is discriminatory against Madhesis and Janajatis.”

A day before Prime Minister KP Oli left for China early this week, Madhesi and Janajati leaders had met Chinese ambassador to Nepal Wu Chuntai and urged Beijing to mount diplomatic pressure on Kathmandu to amend the new constitution.

China not only welcomed the new constitution but also signed 10 agreements with Nepal on trade, transit and connectivity, allowing the landlocked nation to use the nearest Chinese port for third-country trade. In a joint communiqué issued in Beijing, China regards Nepal’s new constitution as ‘a historic progress’.

The new constitution was passed by an elected assembly last year without the participation of Madhesi parties, and they spearheaded an indefinite strike for six months. India did not welcome the constitution and overtly backed the Madhesi movement, imposing a five-month-long blockade of the earthquake-devastated country.

After the Indian blockade, Nepal had decided to import one third of its fuel needs from China. Although Nepal did not sign a petroleum deal with China, the Oli administration dubbed the transit treaty as ‘an important achievement’.

However, Madhesi leader Upendra Yadav, also a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, said on Friday that Oli has failed to achieve anything important out of his Beijing visit. “The PM has not signed any new deals,” he said.”These deals were agreed upon between Nepal and China five years ago.”