Around 800 Indian newspapers and magazines are sold in Birgunj daily, but around 100 Nepali newspapers are sold across the border every day. Ram Lakhan Patel sells 50 Nepali and 50 English broadsheets every day in Raxaul. Nepali readers do not face language barrier while reading Hindi newspapers but understanding Nepali language is not that easy for the Indian readers. [break]
Central committee member of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Mahesh Das says Indians reading Nepali newspapers is more significant also because of the language barrier. “People read newspapers that cater to their choices,” Das stated. Khushbu Srivastav, who runs a non governmental organization against human trafficking in Raxaul, said she reads Nepali newspapers for information regarding her work.
Deepak Agnirath, who regularly reads Nagarik and Kantipur dailies said political developments in Nepal also have implications across the border. “We Indian readers are trying to find out why Indian policy is regularly failing in Nepal,” Agnirath stated.
Chief of Unicef in Eastern Champaran Dhirendra Kumar, who is working on polio immunization program, says he reads Nepali newspapers for health stories. “The viruses don´t care much for political boundaries. We have been further alert after polio virus has not been seen in China since 1998 but was found in India in 2012. The health news related to our field is therefore a matter of curiosity for us,” Kumar explained.
Dr Anil Kumar Sinha, who teaches in college, says he reads Nepali newspapers for thoughts and opinions. “We can know about the incidents even through radio. I read Nepali newspapers to know about opinions,” Sinha said adding that he goes through Nepali news portals if he cannot read newspapers.
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