Obstruction on border because of unrest, protests on the Nepali side. Ranjit Rae, Indian Ambassador to Nepal

Kathmandu, September 25

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today summoned Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae and asked him about the vehicles carrying supplies of essential goods from India stranded on the border with Nepal.

Minister for Health and Population Khaga Raj Adhikari, who is also incharge of the foreign affairs ministry since Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly, called Ambassador Rae at the MoFA and sought to know about the obstacles in the supplies of essential goods from India to Nepal on the border points.

Issuing a statement about the meeting between Minister Adhikari and Ambassador Rae, MoFA said the minister “sought the cooperation of the Government of India for uninterrupted movement of vehicles carrying essential supplies to Nepal as before.” Adhikari assured Rae about security to Indian vehicles carrying supplies in Nepali territory.

Adhikari was accompanied by India Division Head at the MoFA Prakash Subedi, while Indian Ambassador was with his deputy.

Adhikari assured Rae that there would be no security problem inside the Nepali territory for the transport vehicles since arrangements are already in place for their security. “Adhikari reiterated full commitment to ensuring security of life and property of the Indian nationals in Nepal,” read the statement.

According to MoFA, Rae said he would convey the issues raised by the minister to the higher authorities in the Government of India.

It is learnt that Rae had reiterated that the obstruction at several entry-exit points on the Nepal-India border was because of unrest, protests and demonstrations on the Nepali side.

Earlier today, Ambassador Rae met CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and CPN-UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and dwelt on how to improve bilateral relations and address the concerns of agitating forces on the new Constitution, according to sources.

In the morning, the Ministry of External Affairs of India had stated that due to the prevailing unrest on the Nepali side, the Indian freight forwarders and transporters had voiced complaints about the difficulties they were facing in movement within Nepal and about their security.

Ambassador Rae was scheduled to hold a press briefing on the premises of Indian Embassy about the stand-off in the Tarai, but it was postponed till further notice.