India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued its official response to both remarks made by Prime Minister Balen Shah in the House of Representatives meeting on Sunday regarding Nepal-India border disputes.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing on Tuesday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to questions about PM Shah's statements.
While responding to lawmakers’ questions about the Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura border dispute, PM Shah had said that “Nepal has also encroached on India’s land.”
Subsequently, he had added, “As the border problems from the time when the British left British India still exist today, it is Nepal's position that the British government should also have a stake in this matter.”
The Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson responded to both these remarks.
Regarding the claim that Nepal has also encroached on Indian territory, Jaiswal said: “We have seen the remarks of prime minister of Nepal concerning India-Nepal boundary, as well as the subsequent statement made by the Nepali foreign office on this matter. While close to 98 percent of India-Nepal boundary has been demarcated, there are some unresolved segments.”
He further explained: “The shifting of the course of Gandak River has resulted in this situation. In addition there are cases of cross-border occupation and encroachment of no-man’s-land in demarcated segments of the boundary which are currently being mapped jointly. ”
His reference to changes in the Gandak River’s course is understood to relate to the Susta region in Nawalparasi, a long-standing Nepal-India border concern.
Jaiswal also noted that bilateral mechanisms have been established to deal with all aspects of boundary matters.
The spokesperson then addressed PM Shah's other remark regarding the need for British involvement in Nepal’s border dispute with India. While Jaiswal did not mention Britain by name, his response clearly alluded to it.
He emphasized that there is no role for third parties in bilateral matters between India and Nepal.
"It should be clear to all concerned that there is no role for any third parties in a bilateral matter between India and Nepal," he said.
