The tussle between Indian and Nepal doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon as the neighbours’ move to update a new map of their country that includes a stretch of land in the Himalayas that India claims as its own has gained momentum.
According to NDTV, Nepal’s ruling Left alliance moved a constitution amendment bill today. The opposition Nepali Congress has said it would vote in favour of the amendment, amid friction with India over the issue.
Normally, it takes a month for the Nepalese parliament to pass a constitution amendment bill but considering people’s demands, the Nepali parliament might bypass several procedures to get it passed in the next 10 days.
Earlier India had described the move as ‘unilateral’ and not based on historical facts. Anurag Srivastava, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, had said:
Such artificial enlargement of territorial claims will not be accepted by India… 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.
Nepal has claimed the territory, which shares border with China, under a treaty made with the East India Company during the British period.