Nitish not allowed to visit Nepal

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was denied permission by the central government to visit Nepal to attend the post-death rites of former Nepal prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who died last month, official sources said Thursday.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was denied permission by the central government to visit Nepal to attend the post-death rites of former Nepal prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who died last month, official sources said Thursday.

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Nitish Kumar was upset due to the decision of the the central government, official sources in the chief minister's office here said.

He was invited by Koirala's daughter Sujata Koirala to attend her father's post-death rites in Kathmandu Thursday. Nitish Kumar was eager to pay his last respects to the Nepali leader, they added.

"It is not the first time that the central government has denied permission to Nitish Kumar to visit Nepal. He was denied permission in 2008 also," a state government official told IANS here.

Thousands of people from Bihar visit Nepal every day without any visa or passport as there is no restriction. But a visit by a minister or the chief minister requires permission as it becomes a state visit to Nepal.

After the devastating floods in Bihar in 2008, Nitish Kumar wanted to visit Nepal to oversee the repair work of the Kusaha embankment where river Kosi breached. He was denied permission in this regard by New Delhi, said the sources in the chief minister's office.