Ruling NC demands India to immediately stop road construction in Lipulekh area; withdraw troops from Kalapani

KATHMANDU, Jan 14: The ruling Nepali Congress(NC) has said that India's move to continue road construction in Lipulekh area despite Nepal's protest is 'objectionable'.

Reiterating that Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura are Nepali territory, NC in a press statement on Friday also demanded India to immediately withdraw its troops stationed in Kalapani region and amicably resolve the border row through high-level diplomatic negotiation based on historical facts and evidence.

NC General Secretaries duo Bishwa Prakash Sharma and Gagan Thapa in the statement have said that recent remarks of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that  his government is further expanding the road to Lipulekh, a territory belonging to Nepal. "Nepali Congress is clear that Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani are Nepalese territory. Nepal should have its rights to use this geography. Indian troops stationed in Kalapani must be returned," they have said in the statement.

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The NC has also asked the Indian side to immediately halt the ongoing construction of roads in Lipulekh and stand ready to resolve the border issue through high-level diplomatic negotiation. "The issue of the road construction in Lipulekh against the agreement reached at the Nepal-India Joint Commission to resolve all bilateral issues through diplomatic negotiations is objectionable and this must be stopped immediately," reads the joint press statement.

The General Secretaries duo have also clarified that NC is clear that the issue of border between Nepal and India should be resolved through high-level diplomatic negotiation based on historical facts and evidence. 

Addressing an election rally organized by his party, Bharatiya Janata Party, in Haldwani area in Uttarakhand on December 30, Prime Minister Modi had announced that his government was further widening the road built in the Nepali territory of Lipulekh. Nepal has already protested the Indian government’s ongoing construction of roads in Lipulekh area.

The main opposition party, CPN-UML, Bibeksheel Sajha Nepali and the ruling coalition partner, CPN (Unified Socialist) have already condemned India's move to continue with the road construction despite Nepal's protests.