Nepal ex-PM against misuse of open border with India by 'unwanted elements'

Former Nepal prime minister KP Sharma Oli on Wednesday said that the people of Nepal and India should benefit from the open border that exists between the two countries, but cautioned against its "misuse" by "unwanted elements.

Speaking as the chief guest at a programme organised by the Nepal-India Friendship Society to commemorate India's 77th Independence Day, Oli extended his wishes to the people and government of India. He said there existed people-to-people relations between Nepal and India long before the two countries were formed.

The relations between the two countries are born out of nature and nurtured by common history, culture, religion and social values, said Oli, who is the chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified MarxistLeninist).

The people of our two countries should benefit from the open border existing between us, but at the same time, we should be careful not to misuse the open border by unwanted elements, he pointed out.

Asserting that the two countries need to understand each other's concerns, worries and interests, Oli added, "We need to seek legitimate solutions to the problems emerging from the open border but without affecting the rights of free movement enjoyed by people residing on both sides of the border."

Speaking on the occasion, the Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, said, "The independence day attained by India some 76 years ago inspires us to move ahead on the path of progress and development by fulfilling our progressive dreams.

He asserted that India wants to honour those Nepalese people and leaders who made sacrifices by participating in its independence movement and added that India will never forget their contributions.

"India is moving ahead to become a fully developed country by 2047, as we complete a century of our independence, and we are becoming the third power from the current fifth power in the next five years as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Srivastava said.

At the occasion, a host of speakers, including Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsingh Kesi, President of Janamat Party C.K. Raut, Vice President of Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Hem Jung Gurung, and President of Janata Samajwadi Party, Upendra Yadav, underlined the need to further strengthen people-to-people relations between the two countries by resolving various problems faced by the people living on both sides of the border "whose destiny is tied together".

The programme was chaired by the president of Nepal India Friendship Society, Prem Laskery.