BHAKTAPUR: Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation Agni Sapkota said on Tuesday that the Madhesi leaders' illegitimate demands that tend to disintegrate the country are responsible for the repeated failure of talks between the agitating side and the government.

Speaking at an interaction programme organised by Rafat Media Club in Bhaktapur, Minister Sapkota, however, said the government was ready to address the valid demands of Madhei parties.

He said that the government was making efforts to resume the two border points with China following the alleged trade embargo imposed by India on Nepal.

According to Minister Sapkota, the country failed to be self-reliant by not taking a leaf out of the book of the similar trade embargoes in the past.

As for the government's initiative to conserve the forests in the country, Minister Sapkota shared that a special law was to be formulated with a goal of curbing the increasing smuggling of forestry products.

He further shared that action would be taken against those encroaching upon the forest and public land under the tutelage of religion.

On a different note, Minister Sapkota informed that the government was making efforts to make Nepali Congress a part of the coalition government despite the breach of 16-point agreement reached with three other major parties.