Nepali PM Balen Shah’s new bet on Lipulekh: Wants to make Britain a mediator in the border dispute with India

Kathmandu, 31 May. Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah ‘Balen’ has made a new move on the border dispute with India and has talked about resolving the disputed issues of Nepal-India through dialogue. He also wants Britain’s intervention on the script.

Interestingly, while on one hand India has completely rejected Nepal’s claim on Lipulekh, on the other hand Balen Shah is trying to legitimize the dispute by making a third country an arbitrator.

‘After becoming PM, I came to know – Nepal has also occupied India’s land’

According to the report of Kathmandu Post, while answering a question in the Nepali Parliament on Sunday, Balen Shah said, ‘After becoming the Prime Minister, I came to know that only India has not occupied the land of Nepal. Nepal has also occupied Indian land at many places. The right way would be for both the parties to sit down and resolve the matter.

‘A team of experts will be formed to resolve the dispute’

Referring to the border dispute with India, Balen Shah said, ‘There is an issue related to trade between India and China via Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura. Nepal has sent an official diplomatic note to India and its reply has also come. We want that the disputes of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani should be resolved through diplomatic talks.

Balen Shah further said, ‘India’s response has said that both the governments will form teams of historians, surveyors and experts well-versed with the area and will try to find a solution through dialogue. We have also held diplomatic talks with China and Britain on the border dispute.

He said, ‘The governments of India and Nepal will together form teams of historians, surveyors and area experts, who will resolve the dispute through talks. We have also discussed this with the UK government. They should interfere in this because these border disputes started during the British rule in India.

UK should help

Balen Shah talked about the British rule over large parts of the region including India before 1947 and their role in creating borders. He said, ‘We have not only talked to India and China but have also contacted the UK government. Is of. We believe that the UK should take interest in this because this dispute dates back to the period when British India left this area.

It is noteworthy that the recent tension between Nepal and India increased when on April 29, India and China announced the resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh. The Nepal government strongly objected to this. Nepal government said that it is wrong for India to propose Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh as it is its territory.

This is the reason for the dispute

The Indian government took a strong stance on Nepal’s objection and said that Lipulekh Pass is an old route of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which has been running since 1954. Nepal’s claims on this territory are not based on historical facts and evidence. In such a situation, such unilateral claims are completely unacceptable. India strongly rejects these claims.

Lipulekh is a Himalayan pass between Uttarakhand of India and the Tibet region of China. It has been under Indian control almost since independence. Nepal calls its southern part (Kalapani) its part. Nepal argues that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani, located east of the Mahakali river, belongs to it according to the Sugauli Treaty of 1816.