RNA’s efforts to crush insurgency ineffective: Mukherjee

August 8, 2005
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Indian Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, has said he was concerned the situation in Nepal could go “out of hand” because the Royal Nepalese army’s efforts to crush a Maoist rebellion were proving ineffective.
Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee

Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee (Photo source:outlookindia.com
“The Royal Nepalese Army is trying to contain the Maoists,” official Press Trust of India quoted Mukherjee as saying on Sunday.

“But its efforts are not effective. We hope it successfully tackles them, otherwise, the situation will go out of hand,” Mukherjee told reporters in Indian city of Kolkata.

“We are trying to impress upon (the Nepalese) government to tackle the Maoists. But, unfortunately, certain recent developments in that country like the suppression of its constitution and the multi-party system had set back anti-Maoist initiatives,” he said.

Mukherjee was referring to the royal takeover on February 1.

India has termed the royal move as a ‘setback to democracy’ and has suspended military hardware supplies to Nepal.

Last month, however, New Delhi sent its first shipment of “non-lethal” army equipment across the border, according to news reports.

Mukherjee said the Nepalese Maoists had close links with many leftist rebel groups in India.

“Many of them have the fancy idea of setting up a liberated corridor starting right from the Terai region and going through parts of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Karnataka and Maharashtra,” he added.

Nepali authorities usually avoid commenting on the statements made by Indian officials.

India is the biggest suppliers of arms and ammunition to Nepal.