KATHMANDU, May 29: India is open to engaging with Nepal on the basis of mutual sensitivity and mutual respect in an environment of trust and confidence to resolve the border issues, said Indian External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said on Thursday.

India’s statement comes amid the Nepal government’s preparation to amend the constitution to update the Nepal map in the national emblem as per the revised administrative map that incorporates Kapalani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura inside Nepali border.

A constitution amendment proposal has been registered in the parliament and the government awaits for Nepali Congress’s official decision to this regard to present the bill for discussion although the main opposition party has said it has full support to the amendment.

Nepal on May 18 released its new map incorporating the encroached territories—which India also claims as its own—in response to India’s move of opening a link road to Mansarovar via Lipulekh.

India had described the Nepal move as “unilateral act” and “artificial”.

“On the recent developments in the boundary issue, we continue to monitor the situation in Nepal We note that this matter is receiving a careful concentration in Nepal,” said Srivastava.

“This is a continuous process and it requires constructive and positive efforts.”

He also said India “attaches great importance to the deep-rooted historical, cultural and friendly relations with Nepal”.

“In recent years these relations have seen an upward trajectory which is visible from expansion and diversification of our bilateral cooperation. There is also increased Indian assistance for development and connectivity projects.

“We have had a timely implementation of several large-scale and critical projects. And even in these challenging times of Covid-19 pandemic, India has ensured unimpeded trade and supply of essentials including medicines to Nepal, besides providing assistance in terms of medical supplies and other facilitation,” he said.

KATHMANDU, Nov 28: The Government of Nepal (GoN) has begun a dialogue with India on the issue of Kalapani. The dialogue at an informal level will soon be formalized and evidence that Kalapani, Lipulek, and Limpiadhura belong to Nepal will be provided.

The Ministry of Information and Communications had organized a select press conference where Minister Gokul Banskota had revealed the details regarding the dialogue with India.

The Minister also informed that the border dispute was an old case, and its resolution would be brought about through dialogue. Minister Banskota said, “We have initiated a dialogue to find a solution to the problem”.

“Not only Kalapani but the areas of Limpiadhura and Lipulek the entire region are an integral part of Nepal, and we will bring evidence to prove it. We are looking for diplomatic solutions and during the discussion, we will provide them with evidence on the table”.

“In a gazette of India it was found that Kalapani, Limpiadhura, and Susta belonged to Nepal, and the GoN is clear on this front”, he said.

(Photo Source: Mukunda Kalikote)

REPORTERS CLUB EVENT: Members of the civil society of Nepal have released a new political map of Nepal as part of their “save the border” campaign. The new map shows Limpiadhura, Lipulek, and Kalapani in their original state as an integral part of Nepal. At a special press interaction program organized at the Reporters Club yesterday, members from the civil society released a new political map of Nepal.

“The map and places are shown as according to the source of the river and its origin and that was the main method of preparing the new map,” said Prof (Dr) Narendra Raj Khanal. Dr. Khanal further said that they had used a digital elevation model to frame the boundaries. The making of the boundaries is according to the origin and source of the river Kali he clarified.

Member of the map committee of “save the border” campaign an expert Komal Chandra Baral said that ” Limpiadhura was the western border of Nepal, and that the map would be made global. He also spoke about the process of the formation of the new political map of Nepal.

Coordinator of the save the border campaign Bhairav Risal spoke on the importance of the border dispute and its location being discussed in every Nepali household. Risal said “We have not taken anyone’s land, and we would not want any other entity taking ours, this is a principle state follow. The prepared map can be traced back to the treaty of Sugauli, and since India has misplaced places in their new map we have been made to make our map public which was a necessity”.

Former Executive Director of the Survey Department Punya Dahal thanked the committee for making the new map public. He also spoke on the evidence available of the source of the river Kali where the western border of Nepal begins. “It was our duty and we did work on this matter but since you have completed our work, I am extremely thankful to you,” he said.

Former Ambassador Hiranya Lal Shrestha said that “it was great to see a counter map being released and made public, it is important to voice out concerns regarding India’s new map, and we have to to do it together.

Former secretary and campaigner Dr. Dwarika Nath Dhungel said that the map that was prepared by the civil society should reach the government immediately. “To make the map available in all corners of the country was crucial at this stage, and it should also be sent to the United Nations,” he said.

(Save the Border Campaign press release at the Reporters Club) 

A host of senior civil society members, literary figures and civil society is part of the save the border campaign.

Last week in a program organized at the Reporters Club the campaign had released an official press statement that requested the civil society to be aware of the border encroachment issue. They had officially voiced their protest and concern regarding the map that was published by India.

This dispute brought many Nepalese into the streets with protesters right outside the gates of the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.

The campaign committee had mentioned the need for a high-level committee including technical experts and academicians to help the government negotiate with India regarding the border dispute.

They also asked for establishing Nepalese police posts and security along the border of Limpiadhura, Kalapani and Lipulek.

They have requested a trilateral meeting between the leaders of India, China, and Nepal regarding the junction of the Lipu pass which was traditionally a business gateway. They also appealed to the masses to be aware of the issue, and have asked them to be alert until the matter is not resolved.

The committee of experts include top names such as centenarians Madhav Ghimire and Satya Mohan Joshi, others include Dr. Gauri Shankar Lal Das, Himalaya Shumsher Junga Bahadur Rana, Bhairav Risal, Prof Upendraman Malla, Kedar Bhakta Mathema, Gauri Bahadur Karki, Dr. Chaitanya Mishra, Dr. Tulsiram Vaidya, Dwarika Nath Dhungel, Prof (Dr.) Narendra Raj Khanal, Dr. Pitambar Sharma, Bairagi Kaila, Shanta Shrestha, Engr. Sant Bahadur Pun, Swanam Saathi, Hiranya Lal Shrestha, Prof.(Dr.) Tri Ratna Manandhar, Rajendra Subedi, Shanta Manvi, Sushila Karki, Buddhi Narayan Shrestha, Shyam Shrestha, and Dr. Jagat Kumar Bhupal.

Reporters Club Event: Leaders from all major political parties came together to express their stand on the current border dispute between India.

Leaders of the major parties stated that in the matter of national integrity and sovereignty there is unanimous support and that diplomatic means is the only best alternative to resolve the ongoing dispute.

The program was officiated by the President of the Reporters club and senior journalist Rishi Dhamala began by asking the leaders to express their parties’ opinion and personal perception of the current scenario. Dhamala asked “it is not only India who is the encroacher.

There is data available that shows that China has also encroached on Nepali territory in 11 different places. How do we resolve this, and why is the ruling party silent when it comes to China?” He also requested the leaders for their opinion regarding the performance of the current government, method of dispute resolution and the scenario of rampant corruption in the government.

Speaking on the program was General Secretary of the Rashtriya Janata Party Nepal (National People’s Party of Nepal) Keshav Jha, Central committee member of the Samajwadi Party (Socialist Party of Nepal) Dr. Shivaji Yadav, former Member of the Constituent Assembly and central committee member of main opposition party Nepali Congress Dr. Chandra Bhandari and Former Minister, Member of the House of Representatives and senior leader of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Som Prasad Pandey.

The leaders were unanimous in support of the current border dispute while maintaining their respective stance on resolving it through a high-level diplomatic channel initiated by the Government of Nepal (GoN).

Reporters Club Event: The Prime Ministers Foreign Affairs adviser Dr. Rajan Bhattarai said, “let me make it clear that both Kalapani and Lipulek are integral parts of Nepal, it was the Nepal Communist Party who first brought this issue. Our government has noted what has transpired over the days and we are in the process of a detailed study”.

Speaking at a special interaction program organized in the Reporters Club presided by senior Journalist and President of the Reporters Club Rishi Dhamala, Dr. Bhattarai spoke about the recent controversy regarding the release of the new Indian map after India bifurcated its internal areas into union territories. Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were made new union territories of India and the Home Ministry had released a new map to reflect the new changes.

The new map, however, shows that the disputed regions of Kalapani and Lipulek well within the boundaries of India which are integral parts of Nepal.

(Foreign Affairs adviser to the Prime Minister of Nepal Dr. Rajan Bhattarai) 

Dr. Bhattarai’s statement comes after journalist Dhamala asked him about the recent allegations in by the Nepalese media on the issue of India unilaterally taking the step to claim the land as part of their own. He asked to fairly substantiate the Government of Nepal’s (GoN) position regarding this issue and what were the steps that were being taken to bring it into a diplomatic conclusion.

“It has come to the notice of the government, and we are working closely with a study team that is closely looking at every aspect of this case of the disputed territories of Kalapani and Lipulek.

We need to understand several dynamics behind the entire scenario, the first being that Kalapani and Lipulekh are integral parts of Nepal and there is no discrepancy and neither will we compromise on our territorial integrity.

We have to negotiate the border dispute and bring it into a substantive conclusion. There is no other option than to use diplomatic channels in this case.  A permanent mechanism is being sought by the GoN to come to a permanent solution regarding the issue of the border dispute.

An important factor to take note is that any agreement or move toward this dispute cannot be one-sided. Both Nations have to sit and try and resolve the dispute with mutual understanding and cooperation without hurting each other’s sentiments and integrity.

We also need to look at this historical point where this dispute was generated. Now we have transformed into the age of global positioning system (GPS), and it may not take long to resolve border disputes, however, there are many such instances where disputes have carried on for over 3 decades. Take a look at India and China, they have partnership and ties in various areas both are cooperating in the economic transformation of their respective countries but they have border dispute s at multiple points.

Our decisions that we make regarding the borders should not affect the people and their way of life of those living in the area. We have to be sensitive toward them and bring about a comprehensive solution to the issue. The border dispute has also been mentioned in the Eminent Person’s Group (EPG) report”.

Dr. Bhattarai also said that diplomacy was the only way out and requested the media to publish facts and refrain from blowing things out of proportion that would damage the relations between two Nations. Although he maintained his stance of Nepal not giving away an inch to what is rightfully ours.

Similarly, he also said that Nepal is given to us by the enormous sacrifice of our ancestors it is our supreme responsibility to protect and preserve it.

Finally speaking about the condition of the Prime Ministers’ health, Dr. Bhattarai said that he was doing well and that since he had a renal transplant there are problems that arise, but that has not stopped him from carrying out his daily duties as the Prime Minister. He has continuously been working and holding meetings. The PM is fit to work, and as of now, there is nothing to be concerned regarding his health.