Lawmakers in the National Assembly on Wednesday stressed the need of diplomatic deal with India to solve the Mahakali incident in which a Nepali national went missing on Friday after the Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB), the border guarding force of India, unknotted the wire bridge through which he was crossing the river.
They said that the incident that happened in Byash Rural Municipality-2, Malghat, Darchula, was a cross-border issue and a joint effort of Nepal and India was needed to settle it. Participating in the meeting of the Upper House today, the lawmakers expressed their concern about the sad incident and suggested that the government should deal it diplomatically.
Jay Singh Dhami, 33, a Nepali citizen, has been missing in the Mahakali River since last Friday. Eyewitnesses said that he fell into the river after the SSB unknotted the wire through which he was crossing the swollen river.
Minister for Home Affairs Bal Krishna Khand had already apprised the House of the incident. He said that the government had sent an investigative team and was waiting for the report to come.
However, the lawmakers of various parties have been expressing their concern about it, asking the government to deal the issue diplomatically.
Lawmaker Anita Devkota of the ruling Nepali Congress said that the government needed to focus on border security. “Let’s form a joint committee (Nepal-India joint committee) to investigate into the case because only a joint committee can deal with the cross border issues,” she said.
Whip of the main opposition CPN-UML, Khimlal Bhattarai, condemned the incident. He blamed that the government was ignoring a serious issue. “Providing security to its people is the job of the government but it is ignoring it, it cannot run away from its responsibility,” he said.
Bhattarai further said the government should ensure justice to the victim’s family and it should condemn the act of border security force in Darchula.
Similarly, Narayankaji Shrestha, leader of the ruling Maoist Centre stated that Nepal was never colonised and the incident that happened in Darchula was a shameful thing for a sovereign country.
Shrestha said that the government should make diplomatic efforts and provide justice to the people living in border areas.
Source : TRN,
