Nepal's upper house now unanimously endorses new map that includes Indian territory

In a major development, Nepal's Upper House on Thursday has endorsed the new map of the country that shows territories claimed by India in it. The New Map Amendment Bill (Coat of Arms) proposal was passed unanimously with 57 votes in support and 0 votes against or abstained. The aforesaid map includes Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, Kalapani that are claimed by India as its own territory.

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Earlier on June 9, its lower house unanimously approved the bill. Apart from the ruling Communist Party, the main opposition party Nepali Congress and Madhes-based parties also backed the proposal to consider the constitution amendment bill. Moreover, even as New Delhi has called the act as 'violative', Nepal's Prime Minister KP Oli termed it as an issue with 'big focus' and claimed that India has stationed forces in Nepal's territory since 1962, but the area belongs to them. 

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Nepal incorporates Indian territories in the new map

Nepal claims that its new map has been drawn on the basis of the Sugauli Treaty of 1816 signed between Nepal and the then British Indian government and other relevant documents. The row originally started when India issued a map in October 2019 incorporating Kalapani and Lipulekh on its side of the border. In May 2020, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an 80-km strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand as a link road to Kailash Mansarovar - Nepal had raised serious objections to the inauguration of this road.

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India opposes the move

Terming the newly passed Napalese constitutional amendment as 'violative', the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, on Saturday said that India has noted the new development. Reaffirming India's stance, he said that the 'artificial enlargement of claims' was not fact-based or tenable.

Moreover, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while addressing Uttarakhand Jan Samvad virtual rally stated: "If there is any misunderstanding between India and Nepal, then we will sort it out through dialogue. No power can break it. No bitterness against Nepal can be formed in the mind of Indians. We will sit and sort it through," he added, opining that the relationship was a spiritual and religious one. 

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