Voicing serious objections over such activities, Parliament's State Affairs Committee drew the attention of the Indian government via Nepal's Home Ministry toward ending the blockade in the southern plains and respecting the transit rights of a land-locked country.
The committee has also drawn the attention of the Home Ministry to the need to keep a close eye on activities that harm the sovereignty and dignity of the country.
Lawmakers had questioned Home Minister Shakti Basnet about the shooting incident in Sunsari on Wednesday morning that left four innocent farmers with serious injuries. A team of six SSB personnel had opened fire at the four when they were huddling around a fire in their own neighborhood to warm themselves.
Home Minister Basnet informed the meeting about the firing by the SSB that took place in Nepali territory 100 meters from the Nepal-India no man's land. "We will enquire with the Indian embassy after collecting the particulars about the incident and necessary steps will then be taken," said the home minister.
Responding to the lawmakers' queries, Minister Basnet said that the government was serious about sorting out the problems of the country and restoring normalcy. "It's been a tough job as a section of the agitating parties in the Tarai are trying to find a solution outside due process," he said adding that it was not possible to solve things through dialogue simultaneously with the highway obstructions.
He stressed that the government was using minimum force against protestors in the sensitive areas of the Tarai and was exercising restrain. The minister claimed that the government has accorded priority to stemming the black market and distributing petroleum products in an equitable manner.
"The government is committed to maintaining peace and security and we have not reached a situation requiring the use of huge force to settle the unrest," he said adding that dialogue was the main priority.
NC lawmaker Purna Bahadur Khadka said that the activities of the government and the protestors in the Tarai indicate an unimaginable future for the country. UML lawmaker Bhim Acharya alerted the government to use minimum force against the protestors so that no human casualties occur. TMDP lawmaker Brijesh Kumar Gupta blamed the government for letting the protests go out of the control of Madhes-based political parties through neglect of the contentious issues.
Similarly, NC lawmaker Amresh Kumar Singh said that the government would have to pay a high price if it continues to use unnecessary force against the Madhesi people on the pretext of clearing the highways and easing the situation for Kathmanduites.
At the meeting, UML lawmaker Yagya Raj Sunuwar sought clarifications from Indian ambassador Ranjit Rae for his activities as a spokesperson of the Madhesi protests. UML lawmaker Yubaraj Gyawali urged the government to tighten the border and act firmly against the infiltration of Indians into the Madhesi protests.
The lawmakers also urged the government to speed up dialogue with the dissident parties in the Tarai to resolve the problem with no further delay.
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