The issue of India and China agreeing to resume trade through Nepal's territory of Lipulekh has been raised in Parliament.
Responding to the recent agreement between China and India to reopen a trade route through Lipulekh Pass, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Wednesday clarifying that Lipulekh is an integral part of Nepal.
Following this, India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement calling Nepal's claim "artificial and unilateral." It further stated that trade through Lipulekh between India and China has been ongoing for decades, was halted during the COVID-19 period, and is now being resumed.
On Thursday, both ruling and opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives expressed unity on the issue of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani.
Mahesh Bartaula, chief whip of the ruling CPN-UML, protested the agreement between China and India.
"The UML parliamentary party opposes and expresses disagreement with the agreement reached between them," he said.
He said that while countries may be large or small in terms of geography, economy, and population, they are not large or small in terms of independence and sovereignty.
"If any action from anywhere harms the independence and sovereignty of our country, we will protest it and strongly oppose it," he said.
He mentioned that since an official stance has already been received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this matter, it should be resolved through diplomatic channels as soon as possible.
Hitraj Pandey, chief whip of the main opposition party, CPN (Maoist Center), said that the agreement between China and India to open bilateral trade through Lipulekh without informing Nepal has drawn serious attention of his party.
"We object to and protest this agreement, which was made without informing our country about the land of Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura, mentioned in our Constitution," he said.
He recalled that the Maoist Center had previously raised its voice on the matter, stating that such actions are against Nepal's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Pandey urged the government, on behalf of the main opposition party, to stand firm in protecting national sovereignty and integrity, take effective diplomatic and political initiatives with both neighboring countries, and advance Nepal's sovereignty and interests.
He also urged the government, through the speaker, to inform Parliament about the issue.
"We also call on all Nepali people, on behalf of our party, to unite in strengthening national unity, protecting Nepal's sovereignty and integrity, and standing together in Nepal's interest," he said.
UML lawmaker Thakur Gaire said that China and India must retract the agreement made without Nepal's participation.
He described India's claim that historical documents and evidence do not support Nepal’s claim over Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura as a "dangerous statement."
"The evidence and documents we have presented prove that Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura belong to Nepal. It is wrong for India to dismiss our claim unilaterally while refusing to discuss or accept the report of the high-level committee formed between the two countries. Nepal is not ready to accept this," he said.
Gaire added that, at a time when discussions about the prime minister's visits to China and India are ongoing, Nepal's entire Parliament and all political parties must collectively protest the agreement between the two countries to open trade through Nepal's territory and India's misleading statements.
"We must express through diplomatic channels that the entire nation stands united in protecting Nepal's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and pride," he said.
