New Delhi: At a time when India's relationship is seemingly souring with Nepal and China, Kathmandu has once again provoked New Delhi by introducing new textbooks in the school curriculum that include the country's revised political map showing three strategically important Indian areas - Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura, as a part of its territory.
In fact, the tension between India and its Himalayan neighbour Nepal is likely to mount again as Nepal continues to provoke India with such claims.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Professor SD Muni, India's former ambassador and special envoy said, "The move by Nepal has vitiated Indo-Nepal relationship and simply by claiming, one cannot occupy territory."
He underlined that there is a need for both the countries to sit and talk to solve the issue, but the Nepalese government is making it more difficult by introducing border issues in the textbooks.
"Whatever they are doing is not in the interest of better relations, rather there are several other pressing issues to address," he stated.
"These are the areas which some of the previous Gorkha kings had won over militarily from the Indians or the Britishers, but then they had to surrender these areas in 1816, that is when they got the Terai region and the present Kalapani issue erupted as a part of the Treaty of Sagauli. Therefore, they say that was the 'greater Nepal'.
"Since these areas belong to Nepal for about 25 years out of military victory, they are reclaiming it, although the Treaty of Sagauli settled that it doesn't belong to them and had surrendered back to British India," he added.
Read: Nepal says its citizens free to travel to 'disputed' areas in Uttarakhand
The new book titled 'Nepal's territory and reading materials for border issues' for higher secondary school students, includes Indian Territory in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh as its own. The book includes the disputed area of Kalapani in Uttarakhand as Nepal's territory.
Moreover, a source said the book mentions Nepal has a geographical area of 1,47,641.28 sq km, of which 460 sq km is the Kalapani area.
"It is a political strategy by Nepal and there is every possibility that China has encouraged Nepal for such move. Until and unless both India and Nepal initiates a talk, there can never be a solution. India had earlier cleared its stand over Kalapani," former ambassador SD Muni further said.
Earlier in May, Nepal had released the revised political and administrative map of the country, laying claim over the three strategically important areas in Uttarakhand; more than six months after India published a new map in November 2019.
Former Ambassador JK Tripathy said, "In order to encircle India, China has instigated Nepal for all such moves."
"Due to rise in unemployment, rampant corruption, lack of facilities, there has been resentment against KP Sharma Oli led government. Therefore, in order to divert rising resentment in public minds from the domestic issues, the Nepal government has prompted such kindle based anti-India sentiments," he added.
Tripathi also asserted that Indo-Nepal relationship is likely to improve not in the near future but in three years when a new government takes over in Nepal.
Read: Indo-Nepal map tussle: No substitute to dialogue, says Nepali political analyst
When being asked about India's foreign policy approach towards Nepal, he said, "As India shares border with six-seven countries with a small population and lacking in development, certainly small problems are bound to pop up. India should not hesitate or stop giving financial assistance to all the smaller countries but at the same time, India should tell them that they should try to understand the difference between the assistance provided by China and India."
Provision of assistance by China is attached to a condition, whereas, India's assistance is not. India tries to be a 'partner in progress' whereas China tries to be a 'moneylender', he said.
According to latest reports, the ruling dispensation of Nepal – Nepal Communist Party, joining hands with Unified Nepal National Front has launched a new campaign for 'Greater Nepal' that includes a claim for Indian cities such as Dehradun and Nainital.
In addition to illegally claiming Indian cities in its 'Greater Nepal' campaign, it has also laid claims to parts of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Sikkim.
The Nepal government has also decided to issue coins with the inclusion of the Kalapani area.
