Traders in WB's Panitanki stop business with Nepal for claiming Indian areas as its own

In the wake of the ongoing tensions with Nepal due to amendment in its map and claiming areas of India as its own, traders of Panitanki town situated on the India-Nepal border near Siliguri, have decided not to sell any Indian products to Nepali citizens.

The Panitanki Babosayee Samity, the apex body of 1,210 shops has condemned Nepal's action to make the controversial amendments in its map to include Indian territories of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura as its own and hence the trader's body has decided not to conduct any business activity with them.

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"We were sending everything to Nepal and helping them over the years. But, the Nepali government has shown India's territories into their map. So, we have decided that we will not do business with them," Dipak Chakraborty, Secretary, Panitanki Babosayee Samity, told ANI.

"We will not send them anything if they do not remove India's territories from the Nepal map," he added.

Santosh Singh, a member of the market committee said, "The Nepali government should think again. They should not give up on India due to pressure from China. They will be facing problems as we have stopped doing business with them. We have sent them medicines and food during the earthquake."

Prakash Choudhary, a trader in the market, said, "We are putting India first, we can do business later. The governments should resolve the differences. Until Nepal takes back its decision, we will stop the export of goods to Nepal."

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Nepal on June 18 completed the process of redrawing the country’s political map by adding three important Indian areas into its map through a constitutional amendment. India has termed this unilateral decision and “artificial enlargement” by Nepal without holding talks with India as “untenable”.

“This artificial enlargement of claims is not based on historical fact or evidence and is not tenable. It is also violative of our current understanding to hold talks on outstanding boundary issues,” Ministry of External Affairs had said.