It was exciting to read the news story “Nepal, China seal deal for import of fuel” (THT, Oct. 29, Page 1) considering the difficulty faced by the general people for the last two months caused by Madhes-based fringe parties’ protests on Nepal-India borders. More than 40 people, including security personnel, have already lost their lives during the agitation. In this backdrop, India imposed an undeclared blockade by telling the big three political parties to address the grievances of the Madhesis. It has been almost two months since the government has been trying to settle the problem without any fruitful results. Now, the new government led by K.P.Oli is at the helm. He had assured the general people at the onset of his premiership that the existing fuel crisis would be immediately solved. No major changes have been noticed so far to ease the existing fuel crisis. However, the efforts to import petroleum products from China has gained momentum and the first lot of Chinese petrol is likely to enter Nepal by next week as reported in “Chinese petrol likely to arrive by next week” (THT, Oct. 29, Page 1). Still, the trade embargo imposed by the Indian government should be diplomatically resolved soon keeping in view the import of other essential goods and petroleum products to meet our needs. For this, the government and the big three need to be serious in resolving the political issues with the Madhesis.

Rai Biren Bangdel,

Kathmandu

Opportunity

Love is an act of showing one’s appreciation towards others. It is the most noble relation that one can have in life. When Indian PM Narendra Modi visited Nepal during the SAARC summit he won hearts and minds of the Nepali people as he showed love and respect for us. His “neighbours first” approach was highly appreciated by all the SAARC nations. Everybody thought that India’s relations among the SAARC nations would improve regional peace and prosperity. But it did not last for long as he also followed the path adopted by the Indian bureaucracy that sets the foreign policy in South Asia. The Indian PM’s mantra of neighbours first policy faded away soon after Nepal adopted the new constitution. The international community has also condemned India’s unofficial blockade against Nepal which is suffering from acute fuel shortage and other essential commodities. Not only has India imposed a blockade on the petroleum products but also other goods imported by businessmen from the third countries, violating the land locked country’s transit right to sea. Even Indian media and intelligentsia have flayed the Indian government’s decision to impose such an illogical blockade on Nepal, that too, after the promulgation of the new constitution.

India’s unofficial blockade has been a blessing in disguise for Nepal as she has decided to import fuel from China. The blockade has made Nepal diversify her trade and break over-dependence on a single country as far as import of fuel and other commodities are concerned.

Raghav Ram Bhandary,

via e-mail