Labourers carry containers of petrol and diesel to sell at higher prices, at Kakarbhitta on the eastern Nepal-India border early morning yesterday. Scores of trucks have been stranded at a key border checkpoint for over two months following protests by ethnic minorities over the Himalayan nation’s new constitution introduced in September. Movement across other border checkpoints has also slowed to a crawl, leading to a nationwide fuel crisis and short supplies of medicines.
IANS
New Delhi
India yesterday sought a political solution to the problems in Nepal, where protests against the new constitution have virtually closed the borders with India and led to massive shortages.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj conveyed this message when Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa met her in New Delhi.
Sushma Swaraj reiterated the “need for urgent political solution to political problems facing Nepal”, external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted.
Nepal’s new constitution has evoked strong resentment from the southern Terai region where Madhesi political parties have launched violent protests alleging that their interests had been ignored.
The protests have led to a blockade of essential supplies from India to Nepal. Most border crossing points on the Nepal side have been shut due to the protests.
Sushma Swaraj assured Thapa “that there is no hindrance to supplies from India. But Nepal needs to normalise situation asap”, Swarup tweeted.
