It is an objectionable act on the part of India to construct a link road connecting Lipulekh, a Nepali territory in the far-west Nepal. Indian Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is reported to have inaugurated the road on May 8. The southern neighbour has taken the unfriendly move at a time when the whole world has been in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. While all the historical documents show that Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura belong to Nepal, the fresh Indian step clearly indicates India's hegemonic attitude towards Nepal. Based on the Sugauli Treaty (1816), the Government of Nepal has consistently maintained all the territories lying to the east of the Kali (Mahakali) River, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh, belong to Nepal. In November last year, the Government of India published a political map of the country by including even the Kalapani region (about 350 square kilometers). Then, taking exception to it, the Government of Nepal issued a diplomatic note to India demanding changes in the map. Nepal even proposed dates for the meeting of foreign secretaries as mandated by the leaders of the two neighbours to resolve the border issues. But the Indian side did not show its seriousness about the matter.
 
The Government of Nepal has termed the fresh Indian activity as a unilateral act and asked the southern neighbour in strong words to refrain from carrying out any activity inside Nepal's territory.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), in a statement issued on Saturday, said that the Government of Nepal learnt with regret about the 'inauguration' by India of the 'Link Road' connecting to Lipulekh (Nepal). The road is about 80-km from Pithoragarh to Lipulekh. The MoFA added that the act was against the understanding reached between the two countries including at the level of Prime Ministers that a solution to boundary issues would be sought through negotiations. The statement said that Nepal was still committed to seeking diplomatic solution to border issues on the basis of the historical treaty, documents, facts and maps in keeping with the spirit of close and friendly ties between the two countries.

It may be recalled here that the Government of Nepal had expressed its disagreement in 2015 through separate diplomatic notes addressed to the governments of India and China when the two sides agreed to include Lipulekh Pass as a bilateral trade route without Nepal’s consent. In 2015, India and China had agreed to use Lipulekh as a bilateral point even when the pass is at Nepal-China border. Meanwhile, the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has said its serious attention was drawn towards the ‘inauguration’ by India of the Link Road to Lipulekh Pass of Nepal via Nepali territory. In a statement issued on Saturday, NCP Chairman duo KP Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said that the India action has undermined Nepal’s sovereignty. The party has asked India to immediately stop the task of road construction in that area and urged it to refrain from carrying out any activity that may further complicate the issue. The new Indian move has sparked huge protests against India in Kathmandu and other parts of the country with many people taking to streets. Meanwhile, issuing a statement on Saturday, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has agreed to settle the Lipulekh issue through talks.