India: The India-Nepal dispute over territorial boundary has created new sparks amid coronavirus. Both the nations claim Kalapani and this issue caused a rift between the territorial distributions. Kalapani is situated in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. The dispute revived again in the month of November 2019. India designed a political map with a newly formed Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
On May 8, India established Darchula-Lipulekh pass that links the road to Kailash Mansarover. Additionally, the pass includes the Kalapani area. The connectivity would encourage the pilgrims to travel to Kailash Mansarover. The Kalapani region shares boundary on the northern region of Tibet along with the autonomous region of China-Nepal in the eastern and southern part. India has claimed over the disputed area but Nepal has restored the claim of the territory due to the historical background and information.
The treaty of Sugauli between the East Indian Company of British and Gurkha rulers of Kathmandu,Nepal was ratified in the year 1816 whereby; Nepal had lost regions of Kumaon-Garhwal (West) and Sikkim East. The Britishers granted Nepal the power to dominate over the east of River Kali. Historical experts say the east of River Kali should be the source of the river as there are mountains near Limpiyadhura. Kalapani River has two tributaries that originate from the mountain itself.
Nepal has put out a revised official map that claims that the Limpiadora source of River Kali, Kalapani and Lipulekh pass in the northeast belong to their territory. The Prime Minister of Nepal, K P Oli Sharma approved the motion of constitutional amendment in the territorial map of Nepal on May 22.
The dispute rejuvenated on May 8, when the Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh, inaugurated 80km byroad that links Lipulekh Pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand. India condemned Nepal of the ‘artificial enlargement of territory’. Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali hoped to resolve the issue through bilateral talk. The ‘formal and informal channel of communication’ would bring some peace between the nation, as per his recorded statement. Nepal has protested India multiple times in the past and asked for the permission of the former nation before using their soil.
Indian Army Chief General M M Naravane lashed out at Nepal saying the country is acting according to ‘someone else’, referring to China. Nepal said that the country would not allow any foreign nations to interfere in the matter of territory distribution.