Border disputes
have been a major aspect of the foreign relations of any country. India in
particular has had a long history of border disputes with several countries.
The most prominent border disputes of India are with countries like Pakistan
and China. This is because, India had a doctrine known as the Gujral doctrine
wherein the then Foreign Minister, I. K. Gujral had decided to manage the
border disputes with India’s neighbors – Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. Bilateral issues have been a common aspect between neighbors. India and Nepal’s relations have taken a different route
amidst the pandemic.
A treaty between
British India and Nepal was signed in 1860 (Treaty of Sagauli) wherein it was
decided that all the territory to the east of the Mahakali river would belong
to Nepal, while all the area to the west of the bank of the river would belong
to India. Thus, the Mahakali River became the western boundary of Nepal. Nepal
accepted this.
The dispute
emerged very late and the root can be dated to the time when the Gujral The doctrine was introduced in the
late 1990s. I. K. Gujral was the Prime Minister of India from 1997 to 1998. But
before he became the Prime Minister, he made a very important contribution to
India’s foreign policy. He introduced the 'Gujral doctrine' when
he was the union minister of External Affairs when HD Deve Gowda was the Prime
Minister. The Gujral Doctrine focussed on the aspect that for India to have a
strong stand and status in the global arena, it was very important to have
friendly and cordial relations with its neighbors. The doctrine had some
important points like, having friendly relations with neighbors,
non-interference of neighbors in internal affairs, peaceful negotiation,
respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, etc. But the
most altruistic fact of the doctrine was that with neighbors like Nepal,
Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Maldives, India, without receiving
reciprocity, would be ready to accommodate and give what is needed in good
faith.
Nepal took advantage of this doctrine and claimed that
India possesses the area of Kalapani. Gujral accepted the claim, but a
consensus was never really reached. Kalapani lies in
the tri-junction of India, Tibet, and Nepal. Lipulekh leads to Tibet, which is
also a route used by Indians and pilgrims to go and visit Kailash Mansarovar.
The point of contestation is, that for the past so many years, the route has
been used by several pilgrims to go to Kailash Mansarovar, but yet, never has there
been any objection raised on this matter.
Nepal says that
Mahakali originates at Limpiyadhura, northwest of Lipulekh, and flows
southwest. Thus, Nepal claims that Lipulekh and Kalapani fall within Nepal.
Whereas India holds the fact that the Kali Ganga (In Uttarakhand, Mahakali is
known by that name) originates in black water springs at Kalapani (which is how
the area gets its name) which is below the Lipulekh Pass and flows south. Both India and Nepal disagree over the
origin of the river and this becomes the main reason as to why the dispute
arises.
This dispute
first emerged in the public dispute in Nepal, when, last year, the maps of
India was changed after the state of Jammu and Kashmir along with Ladakh was the demarcated and new status was given to the states. The maps only redrew the
boundaries of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. But Nepal felt that the map showed
that Kalapani and Lipulekh were also part of India, and that is when Nepal
reacted, feeling that India has changed the map. Whereas, no changes were made
with respect to the boundaries of Nepal and the maps were not different. Another an interesting fact is that, prior to 2019, never has Nepal so widely raised its
claim over the area, because so many times India has released the maps when it
came to its disputes with China and Pakistan, and suddenly when the country
was going through internal issues and issues with China, such an issue rose
to the limelight.
Prior to the
protests against India, there were protests against China, because of its
attitude of entering Nepal, and other issues like – hacking, human trafficking, etc. But, China used the map as a tool to divert the attention. And soon the
attention went to India and its apparent claim over the territory. But soon
after the protests in 2019, the governments dialogued with each other and the
issue was settled with the exchange of notes.
The issue over
the territory erupted again when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a
road going to Lipulekh. It was originally a track used by pilgrims to go to
Kailash Mansarovar and to ease the travel, the road was constructed. This again
saw objections on part of Nepal as they felt that India was again claiming
their territory and was trespassing in their land.
This issue is
emerging again due to the internal issues of the country. The government is
undergoing turmoil, but several analysts feel that PM of Nepal, KM Sharma Oli
us using this as a tool to divert the attention of the nation. There is also a
claim by analysts that the country is unable to manage the Pandemic and is
using this issue to divert public attention.
Nepal released a
map claiming all the territories, but the Council of India has rejected all
these claims.
The unspoken the actor here is China and how China is using this as an opportunity to create
conflicts between Nepal and India. China has also claimed some territory in
Nepal, over which Nepal and China is also having issues. But with the emergence
of the boundary dispute between Nepal and India, China is using this
opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. The Chinese Ambassador is openly
interfering in the domestic politics of Nepal.
Thus, we have
become veterans in seeing land and water disputes for the longed of time. But
this issue becomes prominent because of the fact that China is using it as a
tool to play its politics. Further, what happens with respect to the relations
of India and Nepal is a matter of time and dialogue.
Writer- Vijayasree
Comments
Post a Comment