KATHMANDU, July 9: It has been revealed that India has sent a diplomatic note to Nepal, protesting against Kathmandu’s decision to endorse through parliament a new political map that includes Kalapani, Lipu Lekh and Limpiyadhura, Nepali territories currently controlled and occupied by India.
Nepal had earlier last month endorsed the new political map through parliament in order to update the political map in the national emblem. India sent the diplomatic note to Nepal on June 24 a few days after both the houses of the federal parliament unanimously endorsed the new political map.
Sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) confirmed that India had sent a diplomatic note, expressing objection over the decision of the government to endorse the new political map that includes what it said was ‘Indian territory’.
Who is right, who is wrong on Nepal-India battle of maps?
Nepal had earlier made correspondence with India three times, requesting for a meeting of foreign-secretary level mechanism that exists between the two countries to resolve the dispute. But there was no response from the Indian side, according to government officials.
A Cabinet meeting held on May 18 had endorsed the new political map that includes Kalapani, Lipu Lekh, and Limpiyadhura that have been controlled by India since the 1960s. The Ministry of Land Management officially made the new map public two days later.
India also sent a diplomatic note after the cabinet endorsed a new political map that included Kalapani, Lipu Lekh and Limpiyadhura.
Nepal’s decision to endorse the new political map came after India unilaterally built and inaugurated a link road that passes through the Nepali territory earlier in March. Nepal was dismayed by the Indian side as New Delhi continued construction works and even stationed its army despite the fact that both the countries recognized that there was outstanding boundary issue in the region and agreed to resolve the issue through talks.
Nepal has maintained that Kalapani, Lipu Lekh and Limpiyadhura belong to Nepal as per the relevant treaties and agreement that Nepal reached with the East-India Company. The Sugauli Treaty reached between India and Nepal in 1816 that defines Nepal’s western boundary with India clearly states that territories that lie east of the Kali River belong to Nepal.
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