India asks Nepal to ensure security of its citizens

NEW DELHI: Taking up with Kathmandu at the highest level complaints by Indian businessmen and industrial units of extortion by Maoist elements, India on Tuesday asked Nepal to ensure the safety and security of its nationals in that country.

Asked about reports that Indians were being hounded out of Nepal, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters the Indian embassy in Kathmandu had received a complaint from Rakesh Wadhwa, executive director of the Nepal Recreation Centre Private Limited.

This was about the threat he had received from the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union.

Sarna said this matter was strongly taken with the Nepalese government by the Indian mission in Kathmandu.

He said there have been incidents of extortion against Indian businessmen and industrial units in the Hetavda-Birgunj area.

The cases involving Indian joint ventures have been taken up with the Nepalese government, "including at the highest level", Sarna said.

India, he said, was in constant touch with the Nepalese government, which has been asked to investigate such acts and to provide security to Indian nationals, a "prime concern to India".

Sarna said he wouldn't like to characterise the situation in a manner to show that it was an "alarmist situation".

Two Indians working in casinos in Kathmandu were forced to flee after the Maoist-affiliated trade union threatened them to vacate their posts in favour of Nepalese nationals.

Reports had said that Indians in Kathmandu were getting death threats and 24-hour deadlines to leave the country with bag and baggage. The reports also claimed Indian community leaders had rushed to the Indian mission in Kathmandu to take up the matter.

"It is not correct to say that the community leaders are rushing to the embassy," Sarna said.

He said there have been cases of extortion. "They have been reported to us. Where they have been reported to us, we have taken them up."