India rejects its role in Terai region activities

Kathmandu, Nov 24: Strongly rejecting the allegations of its involvement in criminal activities in the Terai region, India has expressed its firm resolve to cooperate with Nepali authorities to contain the menace.

''The Government of India and the governments of the Indian states concerned cooperate actively with Nepali authorities in controlling criminal activities across the open Nepal-India border,'' Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee said in a press statement yesterday.

Mr Mukherjee said the district administrations on both the sides of the border remain regularly in touch in this regard. The meeting of the Home Secretaries of the two countries held in September this year at India's initiative decided to further strengthen this cooperation and take a number of steps, specially in view of the Constituent Assembly polls which were then impending, he said.

''Those decisions are being implemented by Government of India and governments of concerned Indian states in consultation with the Government of Nepal,'' the statement added.

''While the above reflects the correct position of India's full-fledged cooperation with regard to the law and order situation, the fact remains that situation in the Terai, especially in tackling the law and order situation, is a problem that will have to be dealt with the Government of Nepal because the perpetrators are mostly Nepalis and must be dealt with accordingly,'' Mr Mukherjee said.

UNI