Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, April 7:

A day after the Indian government lambasted the Maoist attacks on Indian interests in Nepal, the Foreign Ministry here responded yesterday with a similar condemnation of the insurgents.

"The government strongly condemns the recent spate of terrorist attacks against Indian cargo vehicles and fuel tankers," spokesman for the Ministry, Madan Kumar Bhattarai, said in a statement. "Such attacks and similar activities are not only inimical to friendly relations between Nepal and India, these attacks also utterly disregard the needs of people for continued supply of essential items such as petroleum products." The government will not tolerate any act designed to harm the bonds of close and cooperative relations between Nepal and India, the Ministry said and assured that the government was fully committed to providing security to Indian personnel and property and would not allow any anti-India activities in its soil either.

The Ministry also urged the political parties, civil society and all who believe in constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy to lend their understanding and support in resolving the current problems for peacefully forging a national consensus in a spirit of understanding and accomodation. Meanwhile, no sooner had 24 hours elapsed since the torching of 18 Indian tankers and a truck along the Nepal-India border when Maoists in Hetauda set ablaze three more trucks including a passenger bus on Mahendranagar Highway. On Monday night at about 8 pm, the Maoists set fire to two empty trucks and another loaded with cement at Newarpani under Basamadi VDC. The trucks were on way to Narayangadh from Hetauda. Trucks bearing registration nos. NA 2 KH 3874, NA 2 KH 5095, NA 2 KH 4818 and bus no. NA 2 KH 5438 were completely burnt.

Locals said the Maoists torched the passenger bus 14 kms west of Hetauda. The bus was going to Madhumala from Kathmandu. Passengers had to walk to Hetauda after the incident.

The same night, another group of Maoists detonated a bomb at the building of Basamadi VDC.