Vice-chairman of CPN (Maoist Centre) Narayan Kaji Shrestha has claimed that none of the Nepali prime ministers has taken initiative to remove Indian temporary camp in Biratnagar.

Speaking at a programme in the Capital on Sunday, Shrestha said: “When I was the foreign minister, I had sent a letter to the Indian embassy regarding to evacuate the camp but our government was collapsed then.

“Then I raised the issue with high level political mechanism of the successive governments, but no one took it seriously,” he said, referring to his discussion on the matter with PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal and former PM KP Oli before their respective India visits.

In 2008, Nepal had permitted India to set up a temporary field office in Biratnagar as Nepal needed to use some parts of India to route its vehicles after floods in Koshi River severely damaged some parts of the East-West highway.

The Indian side had set up a temporary office in Biratnagar for the purpose. After repairing the highway, the Nepal government had requested the Indian side to remove the field office. But India has not heeded the request.

“Why is not India listening to our request and why are our prime ministers not taking up the matter with India?” Shrestha asked.