Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Wednesday condemned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s reported remark on the Kalapani land dispute and called it “inappropriate and illegitimate”.
Speaking in the House of Representatives, the lower House of the Nepalese Parliament, Oli said that India’s claim on the Kalapani region is based on “unsound facts” and Adityanath’s remark showed “disrespect” to Nepal.
He further said that Chief Minister Adityanath is "not in a decision making capacity" in the central government of India when it comes to confronting India-Nepal ties.
“Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath ji has said certain things about Nepal. His comments are inappropriate and not legitimate. He is not in a decision-making capacity in the central government of India. His comments are in the capacity of a chief minister and these should not have been made. If he is trying to threaten Nepal with these comments, this is condemnable. His remarks showed disrespect to Nepal. I want to tell Yogi ji that Nepal does not accept these insults,” several media reports quoted Oli as saying in the House.
This reaction from the neighbouring country comes after Adityanath while commenting on Nepal’s claim on the Kalapani region, had reportedly said, “Before determining political boundary, Nepal should think of the long-term consequences and it should also remember what happened to Tibet”.
Oli asserted that a solution can be found in resolving Kalapani dispute “if India shows more willingness for dialogue.”
“Since 1961 and ‘62, India has stationed its military forces in Kalapani. But that land belongs to us. India is showing an artificial Kali river as the basis of its claim on the region. They have also built a temple of Goddess Kali in that area which belongs to us. But our claim is based on historical documents and facts”, Oli said while replying to queries raised from MPs on the Second Constitution Amendment that will give legal status to the new map of Nepal that claims Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura.
Nepal last month released the revised political and administrative map of the country laying claim over the strategically key areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura.
India reacted angrily to the move saying such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims will not be acceptable and asked the neighbouring country to refrain from such "unjustified cartographic assertion".
The spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs 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.
The ties between the two countries came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.
Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.
Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali said on Tuesday that Nepal was still waiting for a response from India on holding talks to resolve the border dispute.
"We have expressed time and again that Nepal wants to sit at the table to resolve this problem," Gyawali told The Associated Press. He said that requests to talk were made in November and December last year, and again in May.
"We are waiting for formal negotiations so that these two countries with ... a very unique type of partnership can develop a more inspiring relationship that reflects the requirements of the 21st century," he said.
Gyawali last month said that he was confident that the Kalapani issue between the two neighbours will be resolved through talks. "We have always said that the only way to resolve this issue is by negotiating in good faith. Without impulse or unnecessary excitement, and without prejudice, Nepal wants to resolve the border issues via dialogues, Gyawali told Republica, an English daily.
"We are confident that this issue will be resolved via bilateral talks," he added. He, however, did not mention about Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh - the two areas Nepal claimed belonged to it.
Responding to a question, he said, "We have been trying to hold talks in the matter. However, formal talks and conversations have not taken place yet. We are hopeful that our formal and informal channels of communication will yield something positive."
Gyawali expressed the view that "the Indian side is also deeply concerned and feels the responsibility to address the issue."
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