A controversy has arisen in Nepal after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that India had completed a road that would provide a smooth ride for pilgrims headed to Kailash Mansarovar.
Reacting to the development, Nepal Foreign Ministry has expressed “regret” and maintained that all territories east to the Kali river, including the Lipulekh Pass, where India has constructed the road, “belongs to Nepal”.
“This unilateral act runs against the understanding reached between the two Prime Ministers that a solution to boundary issues will be sought through negotiations,” it said in a statement.
The problem is that both India and China consider Lipulekh a trijunction, whereas Nepal claims it has sovereignty over the territory. Two other sectors — Kalapani and Limpiyadhura — are also involved in a similar controversy that has been underplayed by both Nepal and India.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had completed work on the Ghatiabgarh-Lipulekh road on April 17, so that instead of a three-day trek to the pass, it will now be a two-day drive from Delhi. The inauguration via videoconferencing of the blacktopping on the road was done by Rajnath.
A similar controversy had erupted in November when India included Kalapani in its territory on a new political map. After this, the Nepal Government had formed two committees that are yet to conduct field visits and prepare a status report on the dispute. To assuage public sentiments, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had promised to reclaim the disputed land but no talks have been held with New Delhi on the issue.
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