KATHMANDU: The ruling Nepali Congress has strongly objected to the recent agreement between India and China to conduct border trade through Lipulekh, calling the deal objectionable and unacceptable.
Speaking during the special session of the House of Representatives on Thursday, Congress General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa said the agreement signed between the foreign ministers of India and China in New Delhi disregarded Nepal’s role and concerns.
“We have read, heard, and understood that our two neighbors have reached an agreement in our absence regarding Lipulekh,” Thapa told Parliament. “The Nepali Congress expresses its serious disagreement with this conduct. It is objectionable. It is unacceptable.”
Thapa urged the government to move forward with diplomatic initiatives on the matter while ensuring broader political consensus. “Whatever initiative the government has taken on this issue, it must proceed by bringing everyone on board. We urge the government to do so,” he said.
Underscoring the need for unity among all political forces, Thapa warned against turning the issue into a tool for domestic political competition or excessive nationalist rhetoric. “On this matter, all political parties must stand together. We did so in the past, and we must do so now,” he said. “Our differences and rivalries remain in their place, but let us not make this a subject of domestic politics. Nor should we fall into the trap of aggressive nationalism.”
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