Drawing the line

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 Drawing the line

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• Nepal's constitutional amendment: June 10, 2020, saw Nepal Parliament's lower house (House of Representatives) passing a new amendment that now formally includes 400 sqkm of Indian territory west of Lipulekh pass (including it) as part of Nepal. This makes any future discussions with Nepal very tough for anybody.
• Resolve through diplomacy: Then, the foreign minister of Nepal declared that it wanted talks and diplomacy to resolve the issue. Clearly, for India, it is very tough to resolve this matter now, as Nepal is insisting on "historical facts". 
• Historical facts: There are many.

1. The Anglo-Nepal Treaty of Sugauli, 1816 - Nepal points to this, where the Kali river was the western boundary between British India and Nepal.
2. A map of the EIC is used to show that the main channel of Kali River was the Limpiyadhura tributary (river).
3. A later 1879 map shows the boundary along a ridge west of the Tinker Pass. India claims that Kali r. originates from a natural spring at Kalapani (joined by a rivulet flowing down from Lipulekh pass).
4. That was the position till 1990, unchallenged. Today's Nepalese establishment says that the monarchies (Kings Mahendra and Dipendra) never raised the issue fearing Indian reaction. But both were definitely not pro-India at all!

• The Nepal China border, 1950s: With Nepal's permission, India had set up many military-police posts along the border, after China occupied Tibet. Those 18 posts remained till 1969, and then India withdrew all except the post at Kalapani, which Nepal had not listed.
• Why not listed: The Nepalese had then said that King Mahendra was sensitive to India's concerns vis-a-vis the Chinese and they can hold on to Kalapani and access to Lipulekh pass. (this cannot be believed at all)
• Chinese situation: In 1969, China was in the grip of a Cultural Revolution, and this Kalapani region had no movement at all. The then Nepalese PM Kirti  Nidhi Bisht had not mentioned this post at all (he did so before his death in 2017).
• China-Nepal agreement: Their 1961 agreement explains the border region and is in conformity with Indian claims. In Article 1, it mentions where the border "starts", which is at Tinker pass, west of Lipulekh Pass. Even BN Shreshtha, who has put out latest 2020 claims against India, is not denying this fact. (that he speaks of a Pillar number zero now is ridiculous)
• Nepal's 2020 claim: "Given the 1961 situation Nepal and China fixed Pillar No. 1 at Tinker Pass and the zero pillar (trijunction of Nepal, China, India) would be fixed later". 
• India-China 1954 agreement: The trade and transit agreement between India and Tibet had six border passes listed, including Lipulekh. Nepal did not protest, until 2015, when India and China signed an agreement for trade through Lipulekh Pass.
• Relations too important: India and Nepal relations are too important to be derailed by this episode. But India will have to handle Nepalese sentiments with care. Nepal can be given access to Kalapani for trade and pilgrimage, etc.
• Hindu heritage: Modi govt. has to drop its belief that because Nepal shares a Hindu heritage with India, it will politically align with India. It will not. It has moved towards China strongly now, and putting all faith in KP Sharma Oli has clearly backfired badly. 

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