Nepal deputy PM accuses India of trying to annex Terai

Kathmandu: Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister on Saturday accused India of trying to disintegrate the country and annex the Terai region while the Maoist chief said if New Delhi tries to dominate, the country "should be ready to fight against such oppression".

The blockade of key border trade points with India which is led by Indian-origin Madhesis was part of Indian conspiracy to annex the Terai region by disintegrating it from the rest of the country with the 'one Madhes, one Pradesh' (province) demand, C P Mainali said at a media interaction here.

"This does not favour the stability of both the countries," Mainali, who is also the Minister of Women, Children and Social Welfare, was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post.

India is executing a plan to disintegrate the Terai region through blockade, claimed Mainali.

He also said that the only two-province in Madhes demand will not be addressed at any cost. The disputed districts - Kailali, Kanchanpur, Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa - will also not be included in the Madhes provinces, he said.

Meanwhile, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, popularly called Prachanda, said at a press conference at Butwal that Nepali people are ready to stand against India's undue pressure through the "undeclared" blockade.

The 60-year-old former Prime Minister known for his anti- India stance said: "We want to carry Nepal-India relation through understanding. But if India tries to dominate us, we should be ready to fight against such oppression."

Nepali people have not made any mistake by promulgating own constitution and India should not try to punish Nepal for this, Prachanda said, adding that the statute has not discriminated any sect of the society.

He said that when it comes to identity issue, the Madhesi people have been benefitted with more rights than ever. He, however, went on to add that the constitution amendment proposal backed by Nepali Congress should be carried ahead with the participation of the agitating Madhes-based parties.

India, as a good neighbour, should welcome and assist the decisions taken by Nepal, he said, adding that if India continues to bother Nepal, the Nepali people should cluster together to retaliate.

Prachanda echoed Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's remarks made yesterday that India seeking probe into the alleged conflict-era human rights violation and raking up the issue at the UN is irrelevant.

Today's remarks by the two leaders come amid a political crisis over the new Constitution opposed by Madhesis who have led an agitation and blockaded key border trade points of Nepal with India, bringing supplies of essential goods including fuel and cooking gas for over a month.