Nepal political party restricts Indian movies, vehicles

Kathmandu: A political party in Nepal has said it will prohibit the entry of Indian-registered vehicles and screening of Hindi movies in Nepal, a leading daily has reported.

Pumpha Bhusal, spokesperson of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist), a party formed after splitting from the United CPN-Maoist, said the decision was taken to "safeguard national sovereignty and integrity". The party in a press statement Wednesday said it would prevent all Indian vehicles from entering Nepal and screening Hindi movies that were "against the sentiments of Nepali people and give promotion of vulgarity and cultural indecency". The CPN-Maoist had submitted Sep 5 a 70-point demand, including a ban on the entry of Indian vehicles and the screening of Hindi movies to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. Bhusal said the party cannot allow screening of Hindi movies as they breach the sentiments of Nepali people and undermine Nepali culture. Such restriction would help Nepal develop a self-reliant national economy and safeguard employment opportunities, she said. Bhusal said those Indian vehicles that are already in Nepal will not be obstructed while returning to India. IANS