A day after Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli accused India of encroaching upon the territory of his country, New Delhi on Thursday subtly reminded Kathmandu of humanitarian and development assistance it had provided to the neighbouring country, including medicines for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
India also referred to its civilisational and cultural relations with Nepal.
“Our multi-faceted bilateral partnership has expanded and diversified in recent years with increased focus and enhanced humanitarian and development assistance by the Government of India and connectivity projects in Nepal,” Anurag Srivastava, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said.
Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Wednesday said that India had built a temple for Goddess Kali, created an artificial ‘Kali River’ and deployed Indian Army personnel in order to encroach upon Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, which earlier belonged to the territory of his country. He also criticised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his recent advice to Nepal not to commit the mistake of ratcheting up the territorial dispute with India.
The lower house of the Nepalese Parliament on Tuesday unanimously approved a proposal to take up a Bill to amend the country’s Constitution in order to endorse the new maps its government had issued showing territories claimed by India as part of Nepal.
The new map of Nepal published by the Nepalese Government on May 20 included Lipulekh Pass, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura – the areas New Delhi claims to be part of the territory of India. Oli’s cabinet had on May 19 decided to publish the new political and administrative map of Nepal, in order to re-assert its claim on the disputed areas. The move was in response to construction of a strategic road by India from Dharchula in its Uttarakhand State to Lipulekh Pass near its disputed boundary with China.
Oli’s Government alleged that the road built by India passed through the territory of Nepal. India rejected Nepal’s allegation and dismissed its “unilateral move” to publish the new maps, calling it “unjustified cartographic assertion”.
New Delhi, however, on Thursday highlighted India’s assistance to Nepal.
“India has been reaching out to friendly neighbouring countries, including Nepal, in line with (the) Prime Minister’s initiative to chart out a common strategy to combat (the) COVID-19 in the region. India has extended all possible technical, medical and humanitarian assistance to Nepal. We have supplied about 25 tonnes of medical aid to Nepal including Paracetamol and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) medicines, test kits and other medical supplies,” Srivastava, the MEA spokesperson, said.
“The Government of India has also ensured that there is no untoward disruption in trade and supply of essential goods to Nepal, despite the lockdown on both sides. India has also helped in repatriation of Nepalese nationals stranded abroad on humanitarian grounds,” he added, while briefing journalists in New Delhi.