India conspiring to annex Terai, claims Nepal deputy PM

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,” Mr 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 Mr 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 Constit-ution and India should not try to punish Nepal for this, Prachanda said, adding that the statute has not discriminated any sect of the society.