No proposal to exchange Kalapani, Lipulek and Limpiyadhura for route to Bangladesh: PM Dahal

 Nepal; Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that he has not proposed to give Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura to India in exchange for a route to Bangladesh during his recent visit to India.

                              photo: Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal /Parliament

Prime Minister Dahal while informing the Parliament on Monday about his recent state visit to India said that he has a clear view on the border issue with the southern neighbour and he maintained the same during his India visit.

“I have not proposed anywhere that the option is to swap Nepal’s land and we should move ahead with it. Let it be clear so that there is no confusion. We have said that Kalapani, Lipulek, Limpiyadhura are the land of Nepal and I am clear in establishing that,” Dahal said. “'I have played my role accordingly, I request honourable members that none of us try to twist the facts and logic.”

Dahal said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time publicly stating that the border dispute between Nepal and India should be resolved and should be taken as a positive development.

“I want to tell this House with full responsibility and seriousness that during my meetings with the Indian prime minister and other officials, I have very clearly stated that border issues including Kalapani, Lipulek, Limpiyadhura should be resolved,” said Dahal. “As long as these problems are not solved on a permanent and long-term basis, Nepal-India relations will not be easy.”

Prime Minister Dahal said that the visit to India was not only relatively successful but also result-oriented.

Likewise, Dahal said that during his visit to India, there was a discussion regarding the controversial map placed at the Parliament of India. He, however, did not give detailed information about what was discussed.

“The issue of the map of the new Indian parliament came up. I did not visit the Parliament,” said Dahal adding that discussions were held with Indian officials regarding the map.