India has expressed concern over reports that Indian businessmen in Nepal are being harassed by Maoists with extortion demands.
Navtej Sarna, the spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry, told reporters here on Tuesday that New Delhi had approached Kathmandu at the highest levels to sort out the issue.
"There have been incidents of extortion against businessmen and industrial units including, Indian joint ventures in Hetauda-Birgunj area. Cases involving Indian joint ventures have been taken up by us with the Government of Nepal at the highest levels," Sarna said.
The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has received one complaint of Maoist-related extortion so far.
"We are in constant touch with the Government of Nepal on all such incidents which come to our notice and we have urged the Government of Nepal to investigate these as well as to provide security and safety to the Indian nationals in Nepal whose welfare and security is naturally of prime concern to the Government of India," Sarna said.
The Maoist affiliated All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union has demanded that only Nepalis be employed in the country's casinos, asking all non-Nepali's including Indians to leave the country.
The rebel union has given a 14-point demand to at least two casinos, including the demand to employ only Nepalis.
Maoist insurgency must be viewed in the light of the history of Nepal's Communist movement. The Communist movement in Nepal that first appeared in 1949 after the formation of Communist Party of Nepal under the leadership of late Pushpa Lal Shrestha emerged as an intellectual opposition to Nepali Congress's policy of compromise.
The reports of extortion are surprising in view of the fact that in June this year, Nepal had invited the Indian business community to explore investment opportunities in the areas of hydro electricity, tourism and labour intensive manufacturing, among others.
Nepal's Finance Minister, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, said then that with peace returning to his country in the wake of an eight-point agreement between the political parties and the rebel Maoists, Nepal could be said to possess a safe and violence-free business environment.
"We are aware that the success in achieving a lasting peace will depend on accelerated economic development that will effectively reach all areas of the country," Mahat had said then, adding that Kathmandu's focus was on speeding up the process of economic reforms and creating a conducive environment for foreign direct investment.
As noted columnist Praful Bidwai has said in one his recent articles, India has a huge stake in Nepal's well-being and stability, which is a pre-condition for the progress and prosperity of a big swathe of the Gangetic Delta, from Uttar Pradesh to Bihar and Bengal, not to speak of Uttaranchal.
Navtej Sarna, the spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry, told reporters here on Tuesday that New Delhi had approached Kathmandu at the highest levels to sort out the issue.
"There have been incidents of extortion against businessmen and industrial units including, Indian joint ventures in Hetauda-Birgunj area. Cases involving Indian joint ventures have been taken up by us with the Government of Nepal at the highest levels," Sarna said.
The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has received one complaint of Maoist-related extortion so far.
"We are in constant touch with the Government of Nepal on all such incidents which come to our notice and we have urged the Government of Nepal to investigate these as well as to provide security and safety to the Indian nationals in Nepal whose welfare and security is naturally of prime concern to the Government of India," Sarna said.
The Maoist affiliated All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union has demanded that only Nepalis be employed in the country's casinos, asking all non-Nepali's including Indians to leave the country.
The rebel union has given a 14-point demand to at least two casinos, including the demand to employ only Nepalis.
Maoist insurgency must be viewed in the light of the history of Nepal's Communist movement. The Communist movement in Nepal that first appeared in 1949 after the formation of Communist Party of Nepal under the leadership of late Pushpa Lal Shrestha emerged as an intellectual opposition to Nepali Congress's policy of compromise.
The reports of extortion are surprising in view of the fact that in June this year, Nepal had invited the Indian business community to explore investment opportunities in the areas of hydro electricity, tourism and labour intensive manufacturing, among others.
Nepal's Finance Minister, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, said then that with peace returning to his country in the wake of an eight-point agreement between the political parties and the rebel Maoists, Nepal could be said to possess a safe and violence-free business environment.
"We are aware that the success in achieving a lasting peace will depend on accelerated economic development that will effectively reach all areas of the country," Mahat had said then, adding that Kathmandu's focus was on speeding up the process of economic reforms and creating a conducive environment for foreign direct investment.
As noted columnist Praful Bidwai has said in one his recent articles, India has a huge stake in Nepal's well-being and stability, which is a pre-condition for the progress and prosperity of a big swathe of the Gangetic Delta, from Uttar Pradesh to Bihar and Bengal, not to speak of Uttaranchal.
ENTRANCENEPAL.COM
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