No merit in Nepal's complaint that it is being 'choked': India

New Delhi: India sees no merit in Nepal's complaints that it was being "choked" and deprived of essential supplies amid continuing trouble in the Himalayan state over its Constitution which is regarded here as "rigid".

Nepal's Ambassador here Deep Kumar Upadhyay again spoke of an Indian blockade of his country, which he claimed, was being denied of essential supplies such as petroleum products by India, a charge dismissed by New Delhi.

As many as 5375 cargo vehicles were awaiting entry into Nepal from the Indian side but were unable to proceed further because of trouble on the Nepalese side of the border.

India maintains that the concerns of Indian-origin Medheshi population about the new Nepal Constitution were legitimate and needed to be addressed now, failing which the trouble will keep coming back with a spillover into this country.

New Delhi feels that the new Nepal Statute was not a "live document" which could be legally amended and there was a need for a "credible political process" to address the concerns pertaining to it. However, officials here are optimistic about a positive outcome of the ongoing talks between various political stakeholders in Nepal on the issue.

Commenting on the current crisis, Upadhayay said,"When we are asked what if the blockade does not end...Then we say that we have to look at the world outside. Nepal is surrounded by India on three sides. On one side you have the Himalaya where the terrain is so difficult. Our priority would be restoring normalcy with the help of the Indian government.

"If this (easing) does not happen then we have to look out to the world. It would be our helplessness. But things won't reach that far. And it is also our desire (that things don't reach that level). On one hand you have India and on other you have China. So, in the whole world's context, only these two countries can come for us," he said.

The unrest in Nepal which is creating "strain" in Indo-Nepal ties is also seen in New Delhi as something which may provide "some fodder" to China.

Meanwhile, India is in consultations with other countries and groupings like European Union over the crisis in the Himalayan nation.