India rejects Nepal's objection to Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh
What's the story
India has rejected Nepal's objection to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Lipulekh Pass. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that Kathmandu's territorial claims are "neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence." The yatra has been using this route since 1954, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. He described Nepal's position as a "unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims" that is "untenable."
Territorial dispute
Nepal's new government raises concerns
Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had raised concerns about the yatra being conducted through what it called "Nepali territory." It reiterated that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani east of the Mahakali River are part of its territory as per the 1816 Sugauli Treaty. The new Balen Shah government conveyed its position to India and China through diplomatic channels. It had also urged India "not to carry out...activities such as road construction or expansion, border trade and pilgrimage in the area."
Rising tensions
Border dispute between India and Nepal
The border dispute between India and Nepal intensified in 2019 when Kathmandu objected to a new Indian map showing Kalapani, where Lipulekh Pass is located, as Indian territory. This disagreement escalated in May 2020 when Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a new route for the yatra through Lipulekh Pass. In June 2020, Nepal amended its Constitution to include a new political map featuring the Kalapani-Limpiadhura-Lipulek area as its territory.
Diplomatic efforts
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to take place between June and AugustÂ
On Thursday, India confirmed that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will take place from June to August across the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim. "Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, organized by the Ministry of External Affairs in coordination with the Government of the People's Republic of China is set to take place during June to August," the MEA said in a statement. The following day, the Chinese government announced that it will facilitate the travel of 1,000 Indian pilgrims.