Nepal has claimed three Indian territories- Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura, as its own. On May 18, the Nepal Cabinet endorsed a new controversial map of the country claiming Lipulekh, Kalapani, Limpiyadhura under the territories of Nepal. Amid this new controversy, Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala has supported the Nepalese government’s move to show these two regions as part of its territory.
On Monday, the actor of Nepalese origin, who has been living and working in India for decades, took to Twitter to reply to Nepal Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali’s tweet informing the inclusion of the two disputed regions in the country’s official map. She also thanked the Nepalese government for the same.
Koirala said she hoped for a peaceful and respectful dialogue between “all three great nations” — referring to India, Nepal and China.
Thank you for keeping the dignity of our small nation..we all are looking forward for a peaceful and respectful dialogue between all three great nations now 🙏 https://t.co/A60BZNjgyK
— Manisha Koirala (@mkoirala) May 18, 2020
Manisha Koirala was replying to Gyawali’s tweet
Manisha Koirala was replying to Gyawali’s tweet which said in Nepalese that the council of ministers have decided to publish a new map of the country showing its seven provinces, 77 districts and 753 local administrative divisions, including “Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani”. He also added that the official map will be published soon by the country’s land management ministry.
लिम्पियाधुरा, लिपुलेक र कालापानीसहितका भूभाग समेट्दै ७ प्रदेश, ७७ जिल्ला र ७५३ स्थानीय तहको प्रशासनिक विभाजन खुल्ने गरी नेपालको नक्सा प्रकाशित गर्ने मन्त्रिपरिषदको निर्णय । आधिकारिक नक्सा भूमिव्यवस्था मन्त्रालयले छिटै सार्वजनिक गर्दैछ ।
— Pradeep Gyawali (@PradeepgyawaliK) May 18, 2020
Manisha Koirala has received severe backlash for her Tweet with many netizens asked her to go back to Nepal.
The Lipulekh Pass controversy
The Lipulekh pass is a far western point near Kalapani. In November 2019, a newly-issued official map by India’s home ministry included the Kalapani area to be it’s own. The move had irked the Nepal government which claimed that the said area belonged to them. While India claims Kalapani to be a part of Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district, Nepal calls it to be a part of its Dharchula district.
The matter escalated after Defence minister Rajnath Singh recently inaugurated an 80-km road that ends at Lipulekh Pass for pilgrims to reach Kailash Mansarovar, which was objected to by the government of Nepal. Despite assurance from India that the two countries will resume the border delineation exercise once the coronavirus threat is over, Nepal continues to take this hostile stance.
Recently, Nepalese PM KP Sharma Oli had stated that the decision to include the three areas was taken after India inaugurated a “road-link through Nepali territory”.
