Deuba favours talks with India

Hetauda, November 12

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has suggested that the government hold talks with India regarding the recent border dispute.

Speaking at a training organised by the party’s central policy, research and training institute in Hetauda today, Deuba stressed on the need to settle the border-related dispute through talks.

“Kalapani is our territory and Lipulek is a point where the territories of Nepal, India and China converge. I wonder what has stopped Prime Minister Oli from holding talks with India,” observed Deuba. He accused the government of keeping itself busy in unwanted matters rather than addressing the general people’s concerns.

“It would be another matter to build railway with grant given by China or India. I don’t see how Nepal will benefit from railway built by taking a loan,” he reasoned, also accusing the government of showing totalitarian character by trying to bring different state apparatus under its influence.

Senior NC leader Ramchandra Paudel underscored the need for talks with India to resolve the border dispute. “The government should present its evidence and hold talks with India to resolve the dispute, rather than staging demonstration or protest in the streets,” he suggested, adding the NC was ready to support the government in its bid to resolve the border issue.

Various NC leaders, including the party’s Vice-president Bimalendra Nidhi, General Secretary Shashank Koirala, central member Ram Sharan Mahat and others spoke on the occasion, lamenting the widespread frustration that government activities had spawned among people and suggesting that the NC work in people’s favour.

The two-day training will be participated by the NC general convention representatives of the province and all six districts in the province.