Lawmakers decry India-China agreement on trade through Lipulek sans Nepal’s consent

Kathmandu, Aug 21: Leaders of all political parties in the parliament expressed a unified voice against the India-China agreement on the trade route through Lipulekh without Nepal’s consent.

The leaders speaking in the House of Representatives meeting on Thursday urged the adoption of mature diplomatic initiatives and a cross-party consensus on this matter. The agreement between India and China on trade via Lipulekh 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.

General Secretary of Nepali Congress, Gagan Kumar Thapa, said, “India-China trade agreement via Lipulekh is unacceptable. The government needs to take proper initiative based on an 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 said the India-China trade agreement via Lipulekh is unacceptable for Nepali citizens, the government and parliament. “All Nepalis must have a single voice for the protection of Nepali land in addition government’s immediate response,” he stressed. Secretary of CPN (Maoist Centre) Devendra Paudel said the entire Nepal should be united to protect Nepali territory- Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani.

For it, the government requires a diplomatic initiative with a cross-party consensus. “No impulsive expression but a mature diplomatic deal for it. It must be raised during PM’s imminent visits to India and China,” he added. Given Prakash Jwala, Vice Chairman of CPN (Unified Socialist), this agreement is against panchasheel and international law.

“Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura in the east of the Mahakali River belong to Nepali territory,” he argued, saying that a bold stand is essential for the protection of nationality. The India-China trade agreement must be denied, he added. Janata Samajbadi Party’s lawmaker Ranju Kumari Jha also 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. Government must take necessary diplomatic endeavour,” she said, pressing the government to raise this issue vocally during the imminent visit of the Prime Minister Oli to both neighbours. 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, Lipulekh and Kalapani.

Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani are Nepali territory: Foreign Ministry. Meanwhile, the government has made it clear that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh 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 includes these places in the Nepali land.

In response to public concern raised in the media on the trade agreement between India and China via Nepali territory, Lipulekh, the Ministry urged both sides not to engage in such activity. The government reminded the intimate, cordial and people-to-people relations between Nepal and India and expressed commitment to resolve this issue through historical facts, maps and verification.

Even the Chinese government was made aware of the territory belonging to Nepal, the statement read.