Nepalis Claims Indian Land Burying Concrete Poles

The ongoing Indo-Nepal border dispute has taken a dimension as it resurfaced near the border town of Tonokpur.

There are extreme tensions in the border area after India raised the allegation that Nepalis are trying to occupy land by burying poles in No-Man's Land.

When Indian border guards visited the area, they had to face intense anti-India protests.

However, district administration sources told BBC Bangla that they hoped the dispute would be resolved soon.

Meanwhile, locals in Tonokpur say that Nepalis who used to live in India temporarily and do small business, have also returned to their homeland due to the ongoing tensions.

Tonokpur is a commercial town in the Champabat district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, bordering Nepal.

The movement of people from both the countries in the region is almost free with the opportunity of a loose border.

Anti-India protests by students in Nepal

But last Wednesday, in an area called Brahmadeva on the border, Nepalis tried to encircle a large area by burying concrete and wooden poles and planting many trees - which India alleges to be no-man's land.

Champawat Superintendent of Police Lokeshwar Singh told BBC Bangla, "Missing border pillar number 811, that is, where no country has border pillars, they have planted some trees and are preparing to build a fence. The place falls in No Man's Land."

"Nepalese officials also visited the place this Sunday morning, then we are scheduled to sit down with them for talks."

However, the fact that India's armed border force or SSB, which guards the Nepal border, has previously faced Nepalese protests and anti-India slogans in Brahmadeva twice -but the pole dispute is still unresolved.

Has India made any formal complaint to Nepal about the matter?

Nepal's Prime Minister KP Oli

"Of course, allegations have been made. We have been talking to the local administration of Nepal from the very beginning. The higher authorities in Delhi have also been informed," police chief Mr Singh told the BBC.

He is also hopeful that the issue will be resolved peacefully soon - although the locals of Tonokpur are not so reassured.

Vinit Joshi, a textile merchant in the city, told BBC: "Look, they have unjustly occupied the borderland - about 250 yards into No Man's Land."

"Our forces went there and tried to convince them, but failed."

"The situation in the city is still fairly good, but we are getting news that the situation in the border villages is deteriorating."

While Nepalis and Indians have been doing business side by side in Tonokpur for so long, they have never had a passport-visa at the border crossing.

But the situation has started to change since the border dispute between the two countries over Kalapani started two and a half months ago.

"Ever since Nepal's Prime Minister KP Oli started giving anti-India speeches, Nepalis living here have started rallying," said Vinit Joshi.

"Many of them used to run Momo or Chaumin shops here. But they didn't feel safe here anymore. They started returning to Nepal for fear that riots would escalate."

Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura - the three disputed areas on its map that Nepal has taken in the past month, have already broken the diplomatic relations between Delhi and Kathmandu.

It remains to be seen whether Nepal will take a firm stand on the Brahmadeva area, about 150 km south of the border from Kalapani, or whether there will be any compromise with India.

Source: BBC Bangla
Translator: Apurbo Roy