Nepalese PM Oli reiterates stand on claiming disputed Indian territories    

Nepalese PM Oli reiterates stand on claiming disputed Indian territories
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, July 23
After the newly sworn Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli reiterated his stand on claiming Indian territories of Kalapani, Limpiadhura and Lipulekh, observers in India watching Nepalese politics closely are of the view that the coalition with Nepalese Congress will not last long if the Prime Minister continues pursuing anti-India policies.
Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, answering a question of a law maker in Nepalese parliament on July 22, after winning the trust vote, has said that his government is firm and clear that the territories lying east of Mahakali river on Indo-Nepal border, including Limpiadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh, belongs to Nepal as per provisions of Sugauli Treaty of 1816.
“The coalition partner Nepalese Congress remained always with giving equal weightage to both India and China, both neighbours of Nepal, with the intention of obtaining assistance for development from both the neighbours. if K.P.Sharma Oli insisted on one sided view, the coalition will fall soon,” feared L.L. Verma, a retired professor of political science of Kumaon University.
According to Verma, whereas the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxists Leninist ) has its political culture generated from Chinese pattern of communism, the Nepalese Congress has been fed on Indian pattern of socialism and democracy.
” The urge to be in power can unite the two parties but ultimately the different political cultures of these parties will alienate them sooner or later,” said Verma.
Lt. Gen M.C Bhandari (retd), a Kargil war veteran, has said that during its first tenure, CPN(UML) government led by Oli in Nepal had unilaterally claimed over 1100 sq km of Indian territories at its far western side and later included it in their national map violating international law.”This issue could create a rift in the present ruling coalition of Nepal because it could be on high priority CPN (UML) but never could be top priority of Nepalese Congress,” said Bhandari.
Professor DKP Chaudhari, a keen Indo-Nepal relation watcher and head of political science department, Sridevi Suman University campus Rishikesh, is of the opinion that as former Prime Minister’s Prachand government was not hardcore anti-India despite being from hardcore communists movement of Nepal. The Oli government will also take anti-India posture for vote bank polarisation but will remain neutral towards both India and China from diplomatic points of view.”Though we will have to wait and watch in coming days but Nepalese history point to the fact that the Himlayan nation could never become anti-India, “said Professor Chaudhary
Rajendra Singh Rawal, a senior CPN (UML), leader and former Chief Minister of Far western province having capital at Dhangari , Nepal, has said that the after the said the disputed territories historically belong to Nepal, these were included in the Nepalese national Map in the year 2020,following second constitutional amendment of 2017.”Every political party that rules Nepal at present or in future will have to recognise that amendment as it united all political parties of Nepal on the issue of nationality,” said CPN leader of Nepal.
Rawal said that Nepal does not want any hostility in this matter with India and a middle path will be created after diplomatic talks with India.”