The unrest in Nepal's Terai plains that has killed at least 21 people and paralysed key towns in the south, near the Indian border, claimed its first diplomatic casualty after an Indian minister put off his trip to the Himalayan kingdom.
India's Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh, who was to have arrived in Kathmandu Wednesday, cancelled his three-day official visit, presumably due to the continuing turmoil in the southern plains.
Also, Nepal's Minister for Commerce, Industry and Supplies Hridayesh Tripathi, who had extended an invitation to Ramesh, has himself resigned over the Terai unrest.
Ramesh was also to visit Birgunj, Nepal's commercial hub in Parsa district and inspect the dry port there, managed by an Indian joint venture.
Birgunj has remained under curfew off and on since last month.
After the Madhes Janadhikar Forum, a group of plains people, pledged to keep up protests demanding an autonomous Madhes state for the people of Indian origin, Birgunj along with other towns has remained tense.
Most of the 21 people died in police firing, triggering a demand for the resignation of Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula.
On Jan 26, when India celebrated its 58th Republic Day, the lunch organised by the Indian consulate in Birgunj as well as a ghazal programme had to be cancelled due to curfew.
The Terai turmoil has also affected the ongoing work by the United Nations (UN) to register the arms of the Maoists.
On Monday, dozens of protesters stopped four UN vehicles in Janakpur town and tried to prevent them from proceeding to a Maoist guerrilla camp in nearby Sindhuli district, Nepal's official media said Tuesday.
Earlier, acting chief of the UN Mission in Nepal Ian Martin had expressed concern that if Terai remained restive, it would affect UN efforts to help the government hold elections by June.
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