Nepal Govt Tables Amendment Bill For Disputed New Map Amid Border Controversy With India

The Bill was tabled in the House of Representatives on Sunday by Nepal’s law minister Shivya Maya Tumbahamphe.

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: A constitutional amendment bill has been tabled in the Nepal’s Parliament regarding the disputed new map of the country, seeking to update it in the national emblem. The Bill was tabled in the House of Representatives  on Sunday by Nepal’s law minister Shivya Maya Tumbahamphe. A controversy erupted when some part of India was shown as part of Nepal’s new political map. Recently, the Nepal cabinet has approved the map in which some parts of India were declared as their own and Nepal's PM KP Sharma Oli urged to build  national consensus on the new strategic map. The move to table the bill comes after the Nepali Congress’ Central Working Committee, which is the main opposition party of the country, directed party lawmakers to vote in favour of the proposal to amend the constitution to change the country’s map in the national emblem. The CWC of the NC directed the party lawmakers to vote in favour of the proposal to amend the Constitution to change the country's map in the national emblem, said a report in the Kathmandu Post. Tumbahangphe was supposed to table the bill for discussion at Parliament on Wednesday. However, the bill was removed from the parliamentary business schedule as per a request by the Nepali Congress to wait until the party could take a decision to this effect from its CWC meeting. Nepal’s revised its political map, amid India’s ongoing border feuds with China, signaling that it is now working is favour of China. Nepal has put forward its claims over the strategically important areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura. After cabinet endorsed the new map, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli also stressed that the three territories belonged to Nepal and said that it will reclaim the territories from India through political and diplomatic efforts. Reacting to Nepal’s move Ministry Of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said: “This unilateral act is not based on historical facts and evidence. It is contrary to the bilateral understanding to resolve the outstanding boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue. Such artificial enlargement of territorial claims will not be accepted by India.” Terming the move as unjustified cartographic assertion he said, “Nepal is well aware of India’s consistent position on this matter and we urge the Government of Nepal to refrain from such unjustified cartographic assertion and respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We hope that the Nepalese leadership will create a positive atmosphere for diplomatic dialogue to resolve the outstanding boundary issues.” Also Watch: