NRC an issue of India and its people: Nepal Govt source

Nepal is reassured by the statements of senior Indian ministers on the controversy-hit National Register of Citizens (NRC), a Nepalese government source said on Saturday, making it clear that it is an issue of India and its people.

Recently, when the NRC process was completed in Assam, it was reported that nearly one lakh Nepalese-origin Gorkhas were excluded from the list.

When asked whether the Gorkha community members have sought the help of the Nepal government over the issue, a Nepal government source told visiting Indian journalists here that they were assured by statements of India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah that no Nepalese-speaking person will face problems.

"We haven't spoken to the Indian Government, regarding NRC. They (Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah) made it clear and it has not been necessary to talk about it," the Nepal government source said.

It is an issue of India and Indian people have to resolve this matter," the source emphasised when asked to comment on Nepal's stand on the controversial NRC.

At the same time, the source emphasised that most Nepalese speaking people are local to India, as they are native to the territory that had been ceded from Nepal long ago.

In Assam, which had never been under Nepali sovereignty, Nepalese language speakers have settled there centuries ago. If there are any problems, we can talk and resolve, the source maintained.

But, there should not be any confusion that Nepalese speaking people are not Indian, source said.