The Foreign Ministry on Monday has issued demarche to Indian Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra over inauguration of the Indian road through Lipu Lekh.
The ministry had summoned Kwatra at 11:30 in the morning for demarche, according to a ministry source. The source said Kwatra was summoned to be informed of Nepal's position on construction of the Indian road only on Monday as it was holiday in Nepal on Saturday and in India on Sunday.
Minister Gyawali himself talked with Kwatra at the ministry.
Inauguration of the Indian road via Lipu Lekh on Friday has been widely criticized by the ruling and opposition parties alike.
The ministry has already expressed regret over the issue while different parties and leaders have also slammed India for constructing road in Nepali territory.
Nepal has consistently maintained that as per the Sugauli Treaty (1816), all the territories east of Kali (Mahakali) River, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh, belong to Nepal.
Nepal had also expressed its disagreement in 2015 through separate diplomatic notes addressed to the governments of both India and China when the two sides agreed to include Lipu Lekh Pass as a bilateral trade route without Nepal’s consent in the Joint Statement issued on 15 May 2015 during the official visit of the Prime Minister of India to China.
