Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bam Dev Gautam has claimed that the “undeclared blockade” by India against Nepal will be a failure.

Gautam said so at the meeting of the Good Governance and Monitoring Committee of the Legislature-Parliament on Tuesday, referring to the failure of Indian National Congress following the blockade imposed on Nepal in 1988.

He said the “undeclared blockade” is against the international law and violation of the rights reserved to the landlocked countries in the world. “Never had I thought India would ever do this to Nepal,” he said, arguing that such an act was against the Indian constitution itself.

He also expressed his belief that Indian people would do the rightful decision to deliver justice to Nepalis.

On the occasion, he said efforts were on to resolve crisis through diplomatic dealings. “The government is also making effort to resume the closed checkpoints in China border to ease off the imports,” he said. Moreover, Gautam said the government was ever ready to hold talks with the agitating Madhes-centric parties and that their agitation was without any logical demands and issues.

Addressing the meeting, Ministry of the Commerce and Supplies Secretary Indra Prasad Upadhyay said that petroleum reserve, which is dwindling, is being distributed systematically.

He assured that the government will keep a close eye to ensure fair distribution of the petroleum products.