Oli accuses India of deliberately imposing trade embargo

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli accused India of deliberately imposing a trade embargo at the Indo-Nepal border by not providing petroleum products and causing obstruction to the reconstruction tasks in the aftermath of the April 25 earthquake.

Oli was of the belief that India did so showing its disapproval over the newly promulgated Constitution to which he clarified, "As the new Constitution was promulgated by Nepalis for Nepalis and intended no malice towards none."

Furthermore, the PM argued that the new national charter was promulgated constitutionally and after holding discussions in each clause and was endorsed by the overwhelming majority of the Constituent Assembly members.

PM Oli said so while talking to representatives of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) at his office in Singha Durbar today.

The FNJ team had reached the Prime Minister's Office to congratulate Oli for his election to the high post.

PM Oli claimed that the new Constitution was progressive enough; therefore he was ready to hold discussions on the issues regarding the new Constitution with those who presented the Constitution as regressive one.

He said that the government was ready to resolve the Tarai problems through dialogues.

Similarly, PM Oli added that the government would promote a policy to purchase electric vehicles and heaters as the people were facing fuel crisis due to the border blockade.

He said, "The government is concerned about resolving the current crisis. I am personally very sad and sensitive for the public bearing the brunt of crisis."

On the occasion, PM Oli said that the people and the press should not allow the issues related to weakening national unity, sovereignty, integrity and devaluating the national welfare and integrity though some coercive activities were found taking place to threaten and compel for the same in the name of freedom.

Prime Minister Oli said freedom did not mean anarchy and the country needed national unity and feeling of nationality. Therefore people should show their patriotism and love for the nation, he added.

Oli went on to say that Nepali people were showing extraordinary patriotism and love for nation these days and the government was searching alternatives to normalise the difficulties as the country already incurred a loss of over Rs 50 billion due to the border blockade from the neighbouring country.

On the occasion, FNJ President Mahendra Bista had drawn attention of the PM towards the hardships the country is facing following the border blockade.

'We are inhumanely treated'

Meanwhile, receiving another delegation of Nepal Tarun Dal, PM Oli said Nepali people were inhumanely treated currently.

"We are forced to come across an inhumane behaviour, it is very painful thing that such behaviour is being meted out to Nepali people who were injured during the earthquake," PM Oli said. "We do not harbour any ill sentiment towards our neighbour India, nor have we thought of moving against its interest."

He also slammed the Indian government for supplying rotten fish, tomatoes and other vegetables to prove that it was not imposing a blockade, but not supplying cooking gas.

"We need at least 90 gas bullets on a daily basis, but we do not receive more than one," the PM said.