In a strong reaction to Nepal releasing a new political map showing areas like Lipulekh and Kalapani under its territory, India on Wednesday said such artificial enlargement of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it and asked the neighbouring country to refrain from “unjustified cartographic assertion”.
India’s reaction came hours after the Nepal government released a revised political and administrative map of the country showing Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani under its territory. “This unilateral act is not based on historical facts and evidence. It is contrary to the bilateral understanding to resolve the outstanding boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.
“Such artificial enlargement of territorial claims will not be accepted by India,” he said. Srivastava also asked Nepal to respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, hoping that the Nepalese leadership will create a positive atmosphere for diplomatic dialogue to resolve the outstanding boundary issues.
“Nepal is well aware of India’s consistent position on this matter and we urge the government of Nepal to refrain from such unjustified cartographic assertion and respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
The new map was released by Nepal’s Land Reforms Minister Padma Aryal during a televised press conference in Kathmandu.
The Lipulekh pass is a far western point near Kalapani, a disputed border area between Nepal and India. Both India and Nepal claim Kalapani as an integral part of their territory – India as part of Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district and Nepal as part of Dharchula district.
Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali last week summoned Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra and handed over a diplomatic note to protest against India inaugurating a key road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand.
India has maintained that the road section in Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand lies completely within its territory. Days later, Indian Army chief Gen MM Naravane said that there were reasons to believe that Nepal objected to the road at the behest of ‘someone else’, in an apparent reference to a possible role by China on the matter.
Nepal has been a friendly neighbour of India and should continue to be so to protect the interests of both nations.