Govt sends two 'diplomatic notes' to India

The government has sent two separate 'diplomatic notes' to the Indian government in protest against the cutting of a Tuin, wire-crossing over the Mahakali river in Darchula, and the repeated unauthorised flying of helicopters over the Nepali Army barracks in the district in the weeks that followed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent separate diplomatic notes on Friday and Sunday to investigate the two incidents and take legal action against the culprits. "We have sent the first diplomatic note urging the Indian government to inform the Nepali government about the Tuin incident on September 3 and another note on September 5 regarding the unauthorised helicopter flying in Nepali skies," a senior foreign ministry official told RSS on condition of anonymity.

Stating that the protest letter was sent to India on the basis of the report of the investigation committee formed under the coordination of Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Janardan Gautam, the official reiterated the Government of Nepal's commitment to resolving all issues between Nepal and India through diplomatic channels. With the belief that the centuries-old multifaceted relationship between Nepal and India should not be affected by petty issues, the diplomatic note also draws attention to the realities of both events. The investigation committee had submitted a report to the government on August 31 stating that the Seema Surakshya Bal (SSB) was involved in the incident of July 30 when Jaisingh Dhami of Byas Rural Municipality-2 of Darchula fell into the Mahakali River along with the Tuin after it was cut off by SSB personnel.

At a regular press briefing at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi after the government of Nepal made public the findings of the inquiry committee's report, the ministry's spokesperson Arindam Bagchi responded that the Indian government had not received any formal information about the incident. The Indian side had repeatedly flown helicopters over the human settlement, army, police, armed police, and the National Investigation Department structure in the Nepali territory, while it failed to respond to a request from the District Administration Office, Darchula, to fly a drone on the banks of the Mahakali in search of Jaya Singh Dhami.