Nepal ‘Unanimous’ in Passage of Controversial Map Bill Amid Eager Calls For Dialogue

The new map proposed by Nepal strategically includes three key Indian territories - Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura.

New Delhi: Nepal fast-tracked the passage of its Constitution Amendment Bill, that list the controversial new map, to its Upper House for voting on Sunday, even as India vehemently opposed the idea for politicising the boundary issue.

The new map proposed by Nepal strategically includes three key Indian territories – Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura.

The members of ruling and opposition parties in the House of Representatives (Lower House) of Nepal Parliament unanimously voted in favour to “reclaim” the “encroached” territories of the national emblem on Saturday. However, several members of the Upper House have also called for an early dialogue with India.

India has already resisted the move calling it “untenable”. Government sources have also said that these actions “do not reflect any seriousness” on Nepal’s part to resolve the decades-old border issue, instead they are “myopic and self-serving to further a limited political agenda”.

Later on Sunday, bill underwent a similar procedure at the National Assembly wherein the ruling Nepal Communist Party commands a two-thirds majority. During the meeting, Law Minister Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe tabled a proposal to consider the bill for discussions, and the proposal was unanimously endorsed.

Tumbahangphe said it was a “rare and historic moment” for Nepal that has made an effort to reclaim the territories which have been under India’s “possession”.

Lawmakers at the National Assembly will get 72 hours, that is, till Wednesday to move the amendments against the bill’s provisions, if they have any.

The India-Nepal bilateral ties came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an 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 the Indian map as published in November 2019 which shows the key area completely within its territory.