After China, now Nepal has also extended the hand of friendship, what offer did the neighbouring country give to India?

News Topical, Digital Desk : Nepali lawmakers on Thursday urged the government to resolve the Lipulekh pass issue with India diplomatically after India and China on Tuesday agreed to resume border trade through the pass and two other trade routes.

But Nepal objected to the move, saying the area was its inseparable part. India categorically rejected Kathmandu's claims over the region, saying it was "neither true nor based on historical facts and evidence".

Mahesh Kumar Bartaula, chief whip of the ruling Nepali Communist Party (Unified Marxist-Leninist) in the House of Representatives, called on the government to immediately resolve the territorial issue.

Expressing his views in the House, he urged the government to take immediate diplomatic steps to resolve the issue. Similarly, CPN (Maoist Center) Chief Whip Hitraj Pandey demanded to inform the House about the recent agreement between China and India.

'Our party's focus is on our two friendly neighbouring countries'

Hitraj Pandey said, "Our sentiments have been hurt by this move. Our party's attention has been drawn to the bilateral agreement between our two friendly neighbors - China and India, which provides for reopening of the trade route through the Lipulekh Pass without informing our country Nepal."

Rashtriya Swatantra Party MP Shiva Nepali said, "Since the matter of use of Lipulekh and Kalapani areas by neighbouring countries is a serious issue, the government should take this matter seriously and protect our territory."

India-China border trade going on through Lipulekh pass

Nepal had created a major border dispute in 2020 by including Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh in its new political map, which was completely rejected by India. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Wednesday that border trade between India and China through the Lipulekh pass has been going on since 1954. In recent years, this trade was disrupted due to the Kovid-19 pandemic and other reasons.

Now both the countries have agreed to restart it. He further said that Nepal's claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. Such claims are only artificial and one-sided, which are not acceptable.

Read More: After China, now Nepal has also extended the hand of friendship, what offer did the neighbouring country give to India?