New Delhi, May 10 (KMS): As the fascist government of Narendra Modi in India continues to spread its hegemonic tentacles to one after another neighboring country, Nepal has strongly protested over the construction of a border road in its territory, media reports said.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated by videoconference the road between Dharchula and Lipu Lekh adjoining Uttarakhand border, and the act triggered strong protest by Nepal as Kathmandu claims that these areas are located in Nepal. The protest also flowed from a new map of the region India drew after the bifurcation of occupied Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories in December, last year.
“Rumblings in Nepal about the boundary with India have now resulted in a full-scale eruption since India inaugurated a new road in Uttarakhand which leads to territory that is claimed by Kathmandu, near the border with China,” said web portal The Wire.
On Friday, Nepalese opposition leaders immediately raised the pitch, asking for the government to clear its public stance. A day later, Nepal’s foreign ministry expressed regret at India’s unilateral act and called upon India to refrain from carrying out any activity on Nepalese territory, the portal said.
The report said the new map of the region drawn by India after the bifurcation of occupied Jammu and Kashmir also behind the controversy.
In a lengthy statement, Nepal’s foreign ministry reminded that Nepal claims all territories east of Mahakali river, “including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh” as per the 1816 Sugauli Treaty”.
“This was reiterated by the Government of Nepal several times in the past and most recently through a diplomatic note addressed to the Government of India dated 20 November 2019 in response to the new political map issued by the latter,” the statement said.
On the latest move, Nepal stated: “This unilateral act runs against the understanding reached between the two countries including at the level of prime ministers that a solution to boundary issues would be sought through negotiation.”
The Kathmandu Post had reported that Nepalese Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi spoke to Indian Ambassador Vinay Kwatra on Friday.