Ousted Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said that he would have remained in power had he not raised the border dispute of Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura. Details here.
KP Sharma Oli with Narendra Modi (File Image)
Deposed Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has indirectly blamed India for his ouster. Oli reportedly resigned under pressure from the Nepal Army after 19 people were killed in the crackdown on the nationwide protest against the suspension of 26 social media platforms. However, he chose to rake up nationalism and put the blame on India without naming it.In a statement issued from the Shivpuri barracks of the Nepal Army, he said that he would have remained in power had he not raised the border dispute of Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura. Nepal claims these to be a disputed territory with India.
KP Sharma Oli rakes up anti-India rant
Raising the anti-India rant, the former prime minister of Nepal claimed that he lost power because he had “opposed the birth of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.” Oli said, “I insisted that Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura belong to Nepal. I maintained that Lord Shri Ram was born in Nepal, not India, as the scriptures say.” He added, “Had I compromised on these stands, I could have chosen many easier paths and reaped many benefits.”
In an attempt to rouse nationalism after being deposed in a popular uprising, the communist leader said, “If the map of Nepal, including Limpiyadhura, had not been sent to the United Nations, or if I had let others decide for me, my life could have been very different.”
(Lipulekh Pass)
What is Lipulekh controversy?
The Lipulekh Pass is situated at a height of 16,780 ft in the Himalayas on the border between Uttarakhand of India and the Tibet region of China, near the trijunction with Nepal. Nepal claims sovereignty on the southern side of the pass, called Kalapani territory, which has been under Indian administration since the British colonial period. The dispute over the Kalapani region, Lipulekh Pass, and Limpiyadhura is rooted in the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, which defined the Kali River as Nepal’s western border.
Nepal claims the source of the Kali River is Limpiyadhura, placing Kalapani and Lipulekh within its territory. On the other hand, India has the area under its control as part of Uttarakhand. New Delhi argues that the Kali originates near Kalapani. The dispute took a new turn in 2019 when India released a new map showing Kalapani within its territory. Nepal released in 2020 releasing its own political map which shows Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura as its territory.
FAQs
Q1: What is the Lipulekh controversy?
Ans: The Lipulekh Pass is situated at a height of 16,780ft, in the Himalayas on the border between Uttarakhand of India and the Tibet region of China, near the trijunction with Nepal. Nepal claims sovereignty on the southern side of the pass, called Kalapani territory, which has been under Indian administration since the British colonial period.
Q2: What did KP Sharma Oli say about Ram’s birthplace?
Ans: KP Sharma Oli said that he maintained that Lord Shri Ram was born in Nepal, not India, as the scriptures say.
Summary
In a statement issued from the Shivpuri barracks of the Nepal Army, former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said that he would have remained in power had he not raised the border dispute of Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura. Nepal claims these to be a disputed territory with India. Raising the anti-India rant, the former prime minister of Nepal claimed that he lost power because he had “opposed the birth of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.”
