NEW DELHI: India has rejected Nepal’s position on the border issue, stating that the Lipulekh Pass is a long-established route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
Responding to media queries on Sunday, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said India’s stance remains clear and consistent. He noted that Lipulekh has been in use for the pilgrimage since 1954 and that ‘yatras’ have been conducted through this route for decades.
“This is not a new development,” he said, emphasizing the historical continuity of the route.
Addressing Nepal’s claims, India described them as unjustified and not grounded in historical facts or evidence. The statement added that “such unilateral and artificial expansion of territorial claims cannot be sustained.”
It should be noted that the government of Nepal had earlier expressed formal objection to plans to operate the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route via Lipulekh, stating that it has conveyed its position to both India and China through diplomatic channels.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal reiterated that the Lipulekh Pass, along with Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, lies within its territory based on the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli.
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