Nepal PM claims 'real Ayodhya is not in India'; alleges encroachment of cultural heritage

Making a bizarre and shocking claim on Monday evening, Nepal's Prime Minister KP Oli said that 'real Ayodhya' - that is the birthplace of Hindu God Ram is in Nepal and not in India. He was quoted by Nepali media saying that Lord Ram is Nepali and India has encroached upon the cultural heritage of Nepal by setting up 'fake Ayodhya', Nepali media reported. 

This comes amid rising tensions between India and Nepal and reports of China's meddling in Nepal's internal politics. Nepal has recently banned the transmission of all Indian private news channels except Doordarshan. The current tensions began when Nepal issued a new map claiming Kalapani, Lipu Lekh and Limpiyadhura - which are a part of India's Uttarakhand - as their territory.

Addressing the media on the occasion of Bhanu Jayanti, KP Oli claimed that Lord Rama's kingdom Ayodhya is located west of Birgunj in Nepal, India has created the disputed Ayodhya. He argued that 'real Ayodhya' is in Thori. "Ayodhya is a village west of Birgunj," he claimed. Giving an equally bizarre explanation, Oli was quoted by Nepali media saying why would Lord Ram travel as far as Janakpur to marry Sita had Ayodhya been in India. He said that in that period there was no telephone or mobile phone, "so both Lord Ram and Sita would have married nearby if the place claimed by India is real Ayodhya," he added.

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Chaos in Nepal & China's role

There has been infighting in the party ranks over the leadership of Nepal Communist Party and the government, Oli's unilateral style of functioning and his backing the Mahakali treaty signed with India in 1996. Senior Nepal Communist Party leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda along with his party colleagues Madhav Nepal, Jhala Nath Khanal, and Bamdev Gautam officially demanded his resignation. 

Recently, the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi has met a number of key stakeholders such as the Nepal PM and Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari. As per sources, China is actively trying to save the Oli government which has taken an anti-India stance.

READ | Nepal's Ruling Communist Party Meet To Decide PM Oli's Future Deferred Again

India opposes new map

The Nepal government introduced a Constitutional Amendment Bill to incorporate the Indian territories of Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura in its map. It was passed by the House of Representatives and the Upper House on June 13 and June 18 respectively and subsequently ratified by the Nepal President.

Opposing the new map, MEA official spokesperson Anurag Srivastava stressed that the "artificial enlargement of claims" is not based on any evidence. The MEA spokesperson added that it was violative of the current understanding between the two countries of holding talks on outstanding boundary issues. 

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Last week, Nepal banned all Indian private news channels except Doordarshan, accusing them of airing reports hurting the country's national sentiment. It then sent a 'diplomatic note' to India, urging New Delhi to take steps against the broadcast of materials that it called "fake, baseless and insensitive as well as abusive" to the country.

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