Kathmandu: Leaders of all political parties in the parliament expressed a unified voice against the India-China agreement on a trade route through Lipulek without Nepal’s consent. The leaders speaking in the House of Representatives meeting on Thursday urged for mature diplomatic initiatives and an all-sides consensus on the matter. The agreement between India and China on trade via Lipulek has attacked Nepal’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, they said, urging the government to launch both political and diplomatic efforts for the national interest.
According to National News Agency Nepal, General Secretary of Nepali Congress, Gagan Kumar Thapa, stated, “India-China trade agreement via Lipulek is unacceptable. The government needs to take proper initiative based on all-party consensus to deal with this issue. Irrespective of differing views on domestic issues, all parties in Nepal must make a unified position against the use of Nepali territory.”
UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai emphasized that the India-China trade agreement via Lipulek is unacceptable for Nepali citizens, government, and parliament. “All Nepalis must have a single voice for the protection of Nepali land in addition to the government’s immediate response,” he stressed.
Secretary of CPN (Maoist Centre) Devendra Paudel called for unity to protect Nepali territory-Limpiyadhura, Lipulek, and Kalapani. He highlighted the need for a diplomatic initiative with all-side consensus. “No impulsive expression but a mature diplomatic deal for it. It must be clearly raised during the Prime Minister’s imminent visits to India and China,” he added.
Prakash Jwala, Vice Chairman of CPN (Unified Socialist), argued that the agreement is against Panchasheel and international law. “Kalapani, Lipulek, and Limpiyadhura in the east of the Mahakali River belong to Nepali territory,” he asserted, urging a bold stand for the protection of nationality. He insisted that the India-China trade agreement must be denied.
Janata Samajbadi Party’s lawmaker Ranju Kumari Jha expressed severe concern over the two-country trade agreement that includes the use of Lipulek, a Nepali territory. “The entire parliament’s attention is drawn towards it. The government must take necessary diplomatic endeavors,” she said, pressing the government to raise this issue vocally during Prime Minister Oli’s imminent visit to both neighbors.
Lawmaker of Nepal Workers and Peasant Party, Prem Suwal, argued that this problem was recurring because Nepal did not inform the international community about its new map that incorporates Limpiyadhura, Lipulek, and Kalapani.
Meanwhile, the government has made it clear that Limpiyadhura, Lipulek, and Kalapani in the east of the Mahakali River belong to Nepali territory. The Foreign Ministry, in a press statement, informed that Nepal’s constitution itself has incorporated the official map which has these places in Nepali land.
In response to public concern raised in the media on the trade agreement between India and China via Nepali territory, Lipulek, the Ministry urged both sides not to engage in such activity. The government reminded of the intimate, cordial, and people-to-people relations between Nepal and India and expressed commitment to resolving this issue through historical facts, maps, and verification. Even the Chinese government was made aware of the territory belonging to Nepal, the statement read.