Gagan urges govt to rollback Rs 100 customs rule

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) President Gagan Thapa has strongly criticized the government’s decision to levy customs duty on goods costing more than Rs 100.

In a social media post written after returning from the Nepal-India border town of Madhubani in Sarlahi on Thursday, Thapa expressed concern and anger over the hardships faced by people living in border regions. He said the government’s decision has made daily life extremely difficult for local people.

According to Thapa, daily-wage earners in border areas are being forced to wait for hours even when bringing in basic consumable goods.

Thapa described the policy as unfriendly to citizens and discriminatory, stating that it has directly affected daily life in the Madhes region. “Routine movement has been turned into suspicion and humiliation,” he wrote.

Although the provision is not new, Thapa noted that it had not been enforced in the past. “It was not implemented earlier precisely because it was impractical. It is also our weakness as we failed to reform this law when we were in government,” he added.

He also questioned the rationale of the policy, pointing out that even the Department of Customs has admitted it would not generate significant revenue.

Thapa urged the government to immediately revoke the decision, restore smooth cross-border movement, and formulate policies that take into account the sensitivity of border regions.

“Border areas are not just the edges of a nation; they are living intersections of economy, culture, and trust,” Thapa wrote. “When policies ignore this sensitivity, it is the people living in these regions who are punished.”