There is a feeling in Nepal that the open border trade between India and Nepal should be reviewed and India should understand the concerns of its neighbouring country, said the Ambassador designate of Nepal to India, Deep Kumar Upadhyay while talking to media persons here on Thursday. He said that both the countries have appointed Eminent Persons Group (EPG) to review the historic India- Nepal Treaty of 1950 and two meetings of this group have been held so far.
The ambassador designate clarified that the recommendations of the EPG would not be binding on the two nations. He said that Nepal being a land locked country is heavily dependent on India for supply of essential items and in recent times the trade dependency on India has risen to about 70 per cent. Upadhyay said that some sections in Nepal advocate opening of trade channels with China but they should understand that any such link should have to cross the Tibetan plateau located at an elevation of more than 16000 feet so any such venture would be a very costly affair.
Advocating that politics and trade between the two nations should be kept separate, the Nepalese Ambassador designate said that India should develop rail network and set up dry ports along the Indo- Nepal border for mutual gains of India and Nepal.
Claiming that Nepal is not getting enough share of water from Koshi and Gandak rivers under the treaty he hoped that India would understand the problem being faced in Nepal.
Upadhyay was in Dehradun to launch a book ‘Gorkha Society and Politics’ written by Brig CS Thapa (rtd). Speaking at the book launch he said that Gorkhas have shown exemplary valour and courage in the armies of India, Britain and Nepal and both Nepal and India are proud of their military and other achievements. Speaking on the occasion Brig Thapa opined that Indian Gorkhas face an identity crisis and have been used for vote bank politics.
He said that people prefer to lose their Gorkha identity lest it invite negative discrimination. Through the book the author states that the Gorkha community needs to assert its identity all the more in recent times. He further stresses on the need to preserve the community’s language, custom, costumes, arms and ritual and integrate them with the current emerging global culture.
The book is published by DPS Publishing House for Delhi based Centre for Reforms, Development and Justice.
The programme was also attended by a number of personalities from the Gorkha community students of prestigious Rashtriya Indian Military Academy (RIMC) and other sections of society.