The publications has said that Indian authorities have been holding up tons of newsprint it imported from Canada and South Korea at Kolkata port for nearly a month without any valid reason. [break]
The parliamentary committee has also summoned the secretaries of the respective ministries. Lawmakers want to know what initiatives are being taken by the government to resolve matters.
The lawmakers came down heavily on a statement issued by the Indian embassy refuting media reports. They termed the statement "threatening".
The Indian embassy issued a statement Wednesday saying reports in Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post dailies were "misleading".
"Customs examination of transit consignments is a routine administrative measure and the imputation of motives in such a matter by two newspapers, who seek to lay claim to responsible journalism, is highly regrettable," the statement said.
Most parliamentarians at the PAC meeting accused the Indian government of trying to deprive Nepal of rights ensured by bilateral transit treaty and international law.
"This incident clearly shows India´s hegemonic tendency toward Nepal. The government must take serious initiative to resolve this," UCPN (Maoist) leader Post Bahadur Bogati said.
Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani of Rastriya Janashakti Party said it is against the transit rights ensured by international law. "Therefore Nepal must be serious about protecting this right," he said.
Similarly, Dipta Prakash Upadhaya and Usha Gurung of Nepali Congress, Ravindra Adhikari and Ramji Sharma of CPN-UML, Keshav Nepal of UCPN (Maoist), Keshav Mainali of Churebhawar Rastriya Ekta Party Nepal and Allauddin Ansari of Rastriya Prajatantra Party criticized the Indians for holding up the newsprint.
NHRC, AAN concerned
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concern over the matter.
NHRC said this stiutation may lead to closure of newspapers and thus infringe people´s right to information.
A team from NHRC visited Kantipur Publications Thursday to take stock of things. The constitutional body has already begun investigations into why newsprint has been held up by the Indians. It has also urged the media house to complete all legal and administrative processes if any are pending.
It said that national and international authorities should ensure the rights of land-locked countries to commerce and transit. It has also drawn the government´s attention towards taking necessary measures to ensure people´s right to information.
Likewise, the Advertising Association of Nepal (AAN) has expressed its serious concern.
In a statement Thursday, it said it was worrisome that newsprint has been held up without any reason.
AAN has urged the government and stakeholders to resolve the problem at the earliest, saying that otherwise it would impact on people´s right to information and on advertising agencies.
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