Kathmandu : India should lift the “undeclared blockade” of a key border trade point with Nepal as the people are facing severe hardships due to scarcity of essential goods like fuel and cooking gas, a veteran politician said.
K P Oli, who is tipped to be the next prime minister, said: “We did not expect that a friendly country like India would do such thing to a sovereign country like Nepal.” “India should not impose undeclared blockade in the name of dissatisfaction expressed by a few political parties and some political leaders (on the new Constitution).
“It is affecting Nepalese life in a big way as not only transportation, our hospitals and schools are gradually being closed down due to the shortage of fuel,” he said while talking to Kathmandu-based foreign media here.
“The industries are also being closed… What is the necessity for India being a close neighbour to take such drastic step? If there is some misunderstanding due to some misinformation, we are ready to clear,” he said.
The 63-year-old CPN-UML Chairman said he had also spoken to Home Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the matter who told him he was not aware that the blockade was caused by the Indian side. “I had clarified the matter to him during a telephone conversation today,” he said.
Prime Minister Sushil Koirala had also spoken to Singh and informed him about the matter, Oli said. Meanwhile in New York yesterday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj rejected as “totally false” allegations that it blockaded the trade checkpoint on the border with Nepal.
“Our stand is very very clear. We do not want to be prescriptive. It is for the people of Nepal and the political parties in Nepal to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution something for which ownership can be taken by all sections,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said after Swaraj met her Nepalese counterpart Mahendra Pandey.
Nepal Parliament’s winter session that commences tomorrow will initiate the process of electing a new Prime Minister within a week as per the provision of the new constitution.
The new constitution has guaranteed the rights representation of the Madhesis, Tharus and other marginalised ethnic communities, Oli said, adding if they have grievances or demands that can be incorporated through constitution amendment or formulating necessary laws, they should come forward for a dialogue. Madhesis are Indian-origin inhabitants of the Terai region bordering India who are opposed to splitting Nepal into seven provinces. The government has formed a team headed by forest minister Mahesh Acharya and informal talks have already started with the agitating groups.
Shirish B Pradhan
