by Kalpit Parajuli

Publication of the major newspapers of Nepal halted. The load has been blocked for 30 days in the port of Calcutta. Kathmandu says it violates trade treaties between the two countries. Seizure of unknown reason, justified by the Indian government as a regular customs operation.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - For 30 days the Indian authorities have impounded about a thousand tons of paper for newsprint imported by Kantipur Nepali publishing company in the port of Calcutta. The seizure of the material from Canada and South Korea, prevents the release of the leading newspapers of Nepal and violates trade treaties between the two countries.

"In recent weeks - Kailash Sirohiya, head of Kantipur tells AsiaNews – we have repeatedly asked the Indian authorities to release the cargo, but they have not yet done so and  we can not understand why all this is happening."

So far New Delhi has justified the detention, as a normal routine operation. In recent days the authorities in Calcutta have released 11 of the 39 containers, after the official meeting between Rakesh Sood, Indian ambassador to Nepal, and Sirohiya.

According to AsiaNews sources, the impounding is linked to some editorials against the Indian government published in newspapers related to Kantipur, Nepal daily and The Kathmandu Post, in recent months.  Under accusation editorials on the level of Indian interference in Nepalese politics and the news on the killing of ethnic Nepalese in the Meghalaya (Western India) by the Khasi ethnic minority, a fact kept hidden for months by the Indian government.  

• nepal
• india
• impound
• containers
• news
• print
• politics
• papers
• minorities