Nepal protests India over longstanding border dispute

Nepal Files Protest Over India’s Decision to Resume Religious Pilgrimage Through Contested Himalayan Pass

India and China have agreed to resume a religious pilgrimage through the Lipulekh Pass, a disputed border region between Nepal and India. The decision has sparked a protest from Kathmandu’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which criticized New Delhi for resuming the pilgrimage.

The Lipulekh Pass is located at the intersection of Nepal and India, with Tibet claiming sovereignty over the area based on the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli. According to Nepal, the territories of Limpiadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani are part of its territory. The Nepalese government has reiterated this stance.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded by stating that the Lipulekh Pass has been used for Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Bon pilgrimages since 1954. A spokesman said that India maintains that claims to the area are not justified or based on historical facts and evidence.

The dispute reignited when India announced its agreement with China to resume the pilgrimage via the Lipulekh Pass. The pilgrimage was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the plan, 500 Hindu pilgrims will travel through Uttarakhand to cross into China at the Lipulekh Pass, while others will use a separate route through Sikkim.

The Nepalese government has lodged a formal complaint with India, expressing its concerns over the resumption of the pilgrimage. The Indian government has asserted that its claims are based on historical facts and evidence.

Source: Al Jazeera