External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar (File Photo)
India has reacted to the Nepal government's decision to come out with a 100-rupee note with the country's map that depicts Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, and Lipulekh.
External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar said that Nepal’s decision to include Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, and Lipulekh in a 100-rupee note will not change the situation or the reality on the ground.
"Will not change reality on the ground", EAM Jaishankar on Nepal's new note which shows Indian territories pic.twitter.com/R3A00YcVIZ
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Speaking to media persons in Bhubaneswar, Jaishankar said, “Our position is very clear. With Nepal, we are having discussions about our boundary matters through an established platform. In the middle of that, they unilaterally took some measures on their side.”
A cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Thursday decided to issue a 100-rupee note with the Nepal's map including Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura, according to Communication and Information Technology Minister Rekha Sharma.
Relations between India and Nepal saw a slide after Delhi’s inauguration of a new road in May 2020 from Dharchula to Lipulekh on the Mansarovar Yatra route. This angered the then government in Kathmandu – KP Sharma Oli was Prime Minister then – which came out with a new map of Nepal, adding to it an area of 370 sq km at the tri-junction of Nepal, India and China which India maintains is its territory.
A Constitution amendment Bill was passed by Nepal’s parliament to legitimise the alteration to the country’s map with the addition of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura. The passage of the Bill and the new map led to a temporary breakdown of communication between the two countries.
The cabinet decision will be sent to the Rastra Bank, Nepal’s central bank, which may take up to a year to get the new note printed. The central bank will have to come out with tenders for printing quality notes.
Lashing out at the Nepal government’s recent move, India vehemently stated that it would be unacceptable to it.
The Sugauli treaty signed in 1816 between Nepal and India has recognized the Kali River as the western border of Nepal. Nepal has been maintaining that this Kali River which divides Nepal and India originates from Limpiyadhura. On the other hand, India has named a small rivulet flowing near the place where Indian soldiers are stationed as the Kali River.
However, experts from Nepal are of the opinion that India has intentionally created this rivulet to encroach Nepal’s territory lying to the west of it.
Nepal and India have not been able to hold talks on the existing border issue at the bilateral mechanism level, of late.
