This comes as the Madhesi Community is carrying out a blockade at India-Nepal border to protest against the Nepal government.
Advertisement
The spokesman said India wanted peace and stability in Nepal and was not responsible for the present situation in the Himalayan country.
Taxis and buses are lining up for miles at empty petrol stations in Kathmandu, with passengers riding on the roofs of overcrowded buses to get around. They are the sovereign independent country and can make their own choices.
India has taken a tough stand on the new constitution of Nepal, as it fears that the unrest triggered by the statute could lead to prolonged instability in the neighbouring country and spill-over effect might turn into a serious security concern for itself.
Nepal, nestled between India and China, has always been a focus for competition between the two Asian giants vying for influence in the tiny nation that shares cultural and religious ties with mostly Hindu India but has become annoyed with what it sees as New Delhi meddling in its domestic affairs.
In the weeks since Nepal implemented its new constitution on September 20, an abrupt blockade along the country’s border with India has slowed oil and other imports to a trickle.
The Madhesi ethnic group in southern Nepal, who have close relations with India, have been protesting for weeks now demanding bigger area in the state proposed for them and more local rights.
State carrier Nepal Airlines said Thursday it would send two jets to the east Indian city of Kolkata to fill up on fuel before returning to Nepal, according to airline official Ram Hari.
The continued blockade of border trade points with India has halted the supply of essential goods from India.
Nepal continues to reel under severe fuel shortage as agitating Madhes-based parties have blocked all entry points to press Kathmandu to address their demands.
Statfor said New Delhi was seeking to counter China’s influence, citing India’s economic pressure on nearby Bhutan on the eve of an election and India’s support for the ousting of former President Mahinda Rajapakse in Sri Lanka.
Advertisement
In a landlocked country, however, virtually all commercial goods come by one of the few roads to Kathmandu. More than 40 people have died in protests related to the charter. “Nepal has to set its house in order and has to reach out to its own people in a spirit or reconciliation”, he said. We will escort every truck once it enters Nepal.
