India closed down border with Nepal to create fuel and food crises
By Sonali Rana
Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal is facing serve food and fuel crises as India has allegedly closed down its borders with Nepal and 900 trucks carrying food, fuel and other items to this land locked Himalayan state have been halted at Nepal-Indian border.
India is allegedly involved in political unrest in Nepal with the support of non-government organizations and certain political parties as India wishes to conquer this tiny independent state through its trade hegemony.
All type of travel to and from Kathmandu is halted towards India due to non-stop Indian-backed protests that started last Sunday. Nepal gets 100% fuel supply from India and over 80% food supply from Indian market and no truck is allowed for the last three days to enter Nepal from Indian side of the Raxaul-Birgunj border. It may be mentioned that protestors from the Madhesi Morcha party have blocked road linking to India in Nepal for a third day. Protesters have blocked roads against new constitutional amendments as southern Nepalis fear the new federal structure will marginalize them by revoking special status of some areas. At least 40 people, mostly protestors, have been killed in violent clashes since August.
Meanwhile, a Nepal Oil Corp spokesman said on Saturday that country will follow fuel ration system after hundreds of trucks were held up this week at the India border.
“If we do ration petrol and oil, we can manage for a couple
of weeks,” said Deepak Baral, a Nepal Oil Corp spokesman while talking to local media on Sunday.
Nepal is blaming India for political unrest in its bordering areas and also blaming that India has closed the border to twist arms of Nepal.
“Our government must suspend certain NGOs that are playing in the hands of India and international actors to create uprising in democratic Nepal”, said Lakashmi Sudha while talking to Dispatch News Desk news agency in Mangal Bazaar of Khatmandu. She said Nepal is hostage in the hand of multinational NGOs and Indian lobby but the time has come that Nepalis must think as independent nation rather than a part of India.
