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Rajnath Singh talks to Nepalese PM as Kathmandu seeks supplies from China

Speaking to the two Nepalese leaders over phone, Rajnath requested them to initiate dialogue with agitating Madhesi groups. Singh said he would also appeal to Madhesi groups to end violence and go in for talks with the Nepal government, sources said.

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Sushil Koirala
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With crisis ridden Nepal only a day away from linking its border trade point Tatopani with China, Union home minister Rajnath Singh sought indulgence of Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and chairman of CPN-UML, K P Oli to sort out the standoff that has led to the blockade on the border.

Speaking to the two Nepalese leaders over phone, Rajnath requested them to initiate dialogue with agitating Madhesi groups. Singh said he would also appeal to Madhesi groups to end violence and go in for talks with the Nepal government, sources said.

Striking a positive note, Rajnath Singh told both the leaders that the two countries are the best of friends and will always remain so.

As the blockade on the border entered the seventh day on Birgunj-Raxaul border check point, fuel shortage in Nepal led to closure of schools. According to reports coming from Kathmandu, the government has also ordered private vehicles not to ply on the roads to ration fuel.

According to Nepalese officials, even the Hospitals are facing closure because of lack of fuel supply, while International airlines have been asked to carry their own aviation fuel by Nepal due to unavailability of aviation turbine fuel (ATF).

About 31 fuel tankers left for Kathmandu from Sanauli – Bhairawa border crossing, but according to Nepalese officials they don’t meet even half of a day’s fuel requirements and the only way out is to open Birgunj – Raxaul border.

“We need at least 70 fuel tankers a day to meet our daily requirements and that can only be meted once trucks start plying through Birgunj checkpoint,” a senior Nepalese official told dna.

At least a 10 kilometre long queue of trucks has been formed at Birgunj-Raxaul border that India says is due to refusal by truckers to cross over for fear of violence. Nepal says it movement of trucks has nothing to with violence which is sporadic and contained and even its own truckers are not being allowed to ply by the Indian border guarding forces.

There were reports that at Tatopani border trade point with China, over 400 Chinese trucks are waiting to carry fuel and other essential supplies to Kathmandu which is only 114 kilometres away from Tatopani.

“The road that was damaged during the April earthquake is being restored and in all probability will be ready for use in next two days,” a Nepalese official said.
The other border trade point with China at Shikharbesi is also undergoing restoration at a quick pace.

Though India has termed the standoff between Madhesi groups and Nepal government as an internal matter that needs to be sorted out amicably by Nepal, the anger against India is on the rise, at least, in Kathmandu where general public has started accusing India of deliberately imposing the blockade.

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