Kathmandu: India has expressed "concern"
over Nepal`s former Maoist guerrillas providing arms and
training to Indian Naxalites, prompting Foreign Minister
Sujata Koirala to assure an investigation into the issue.
Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood had handed over
separate letters to Nepal Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary
in late October, expressing India`s concern over the issue,
Indian embassy sources said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Koirala
confirmed the receipt of a letter from the India which
expressed concern over the Maoists involvement in imparting
training to the Naxalites, and said the government will
investigate the matter.
She, however said that she has not yet gone through
it. "If this is true, it is a very serious matter," Koirala
said.
"I will also ask the Home Ministry to investigate into
the matter seriously," she said, adding the investigations
will begin after the Deepawali holidays.
"If the Nepalese Maoists are involved in providing
training to the Indian Maoists then the government will take
steps to stop such activities," she said.
According to a report in The Kathmandu Post, some 200
Naxalites from India have taken part in training being
provided by Nepalese Maoists in different districts of Terai,
including Nawalparasi, Dang, Udaypur and Makwanpur.
Maoists from different Naxalite-infested areas in
India received ideological and warfare training at different
camps in Nepal, the daily had reported.
Foreign Ministry sources also admitted that high-level
Maoists from Nepal may be involved in imparting training to
the Indian Maoists.
The Maoists, who have dismissed such reports in the
past, could not be contacted for their comments on the latest
row. The party has not issued any formal statement on the
claims made by the Nepali newspaper.
PTI
