Amid border row, Nepal Parliament approves map that includes Indian territory

Guwahati: The Nepalese upper house on Thursday cleared a constitutional amendment bill to reflect its new map (that comprises territory claimed by India) in the national emblem. The constitutional amendment bill garnered 57 votes in its support and none against.

All the 258 lawmakers present and voting had cleared the bill in the country's lower house last week. According to the new map, the territories of Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura are now under Nepal.

"This artificial enlargement of claims is not based on historical facts or evidence and is not tenable. It is also violative of our current understanding to hold talks on outstanding boundary issues", New Delhi said in a statement, after the passage of the Bill in the lower house. This move is expected to make the border dispute a permanent irritant in relations between India and its neighbouring country, Nepal.

It needs mention here that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's government has issued the new map last month, and has claimed that Nepal would get back the land "occupied by India."

Tensions were triggered between New Delhi and Kathmandu last month after the latter protested against the opening of an 80-km road to Lipulekh on the Chinese border by New Delhi. Although Nepal claims Lipulekh as its own territory, India has said the road is completely within its own territory.

After the ruckus over the issue, Nepal foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali told Parliament last week that the new road to Lipulekh constructed by India had "undermined" the country's sovereignty. Nepal's border begins at Limpiyadhura, the origin of the river Kali, and the border with India is determined by the Treaty of Sugauli of 1816, he said. India had acknowledged in 1997 that the borders at Kalapani and Susta were "unresolved", Gyawali said.

This move comes amid efforts by Kathmandu to hold talks with New Delhi on the border issue, and had reportedly contacted India in May to resolve the problem.

ALSO READ: In an exclusive conversation with Diptanil Barua only on The Sentinel Assam