Resign, Balen: Nepal students, Opposition protest against PM's India territory remark
Prime Minister Balen Shah's remark that Nepal too might have crossed into Indian territory has triggered a political firestorm, seemingly uniting a fractured opposition, now asking for his resignation. Balen, who rode a wave of protests to become the PM, is himself facing huge protests.
Nepal's politics descended into chaos this week after Prime Minister Balendra "Balen" Shah said in Parliament that the border dispute between India and Nepal was not a one-sided issue. His remarks sparked a political storm, with opposition parties and students demanding his resignation. Balen, who rode to power on a wave of protests, is facing widespread protests just months into his job as the PM.
The controversy has once again brought attention to the India-Nepal border issue, especially the areas of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura.
Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura are integral parts of India, and the Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly reiterated that India's position on these territories is clear, consistent and non-negotiable.
On Sunday, during a discussion in Nepal's Parliament on the long-running border dispute, Prime Minister Shah said Nepal had crossed into Indian territory at several points along the border. The remark sparked a major controversy.
Shah reportedly urged both countries to rely on historians, surveyors, and experts to resolve the matter, referencing diplomatic notes exchanged with India and even suggesting involvement from the United Kingdom due to colonial-era maps. He framed the issue as one requiring mutual understanding rather than unilateral accusations.
On Tuesday, the Indian government issued a statement, saying there was no role for any third party in any Indo-Nepal border issue. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said boundary-related matters are strictly bilateral, and being addressed through existing mechanisms established by the two countries.
Balen Shah's remarks came years after Nepal under former PM KP Sharma Oli had taken steps, including approving updates to its national map, to assert claims over the disputed areas.
Shah is a former rapper, Bengaluru-trained engineer and former mayor of Kathmandu, who rose to prominence and became the PM as an outsider challenging Nepal's traditional political parties.
He stirred a row as the mayor of Kathmandu when he displayed a "Greater Nepal" map in his office, a gesture widely seen as a response to the "Akhand Bharat" map showcased in the Indian Parliament.
PROTESTS, RESIGNATION DEMANDS OVER BALEN'S IRRESPONSIBLE REMARKS
The remarks triggered immediate and visible public anger. Student organisations staged a protest at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu on Monday against the Prime Minister's comments, reported The Kathmandu Post.
Demonstrators gathered under the slogan "Let's protect sovereignty", accusing Balen Shah of making "anti-national" statements.
Separately, the Nepali Congress-affiliated Tarun Dal organised a peaceful protest march at the same location. They condemned what they described as the prime minister's irresponsible remarks. Opposition parties and other groups viewed Shah's statement as undermining Nepal's longstanding position on the border issues.
The Kathmandu Post highlighted how the protests reflected broader concerns about national sovereignty, with participants arguing that acknowledging any Nepali encroachment weakened Kathmandu's negotiating stance with India.
In Parliament itself, proceedings in both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly were disrupted as lawmakers protested. Opposition members demanded an apology and the removal of Shah's remarks from the official records.
NEPAL'S FOREIGN MINISTRY STEPS IN TO CONTROL DAMAGE
Critics across Nepal's political spectrum argued that Balen Shah's words risked diluting Nepal's consistent diplomatic narrative regarding Indian actions in the disputed zones.
Members of several opposition parties, led by the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, staged a protest inside Parliament on Monday, chanting slogans and demanding Prime Minister Balendra Shah's resignation over what they described as his failure to answer to the House, reported news agency ANI.
Nepal's Foreign Ministry later stepped in with a clarification, explaining that the Prime Minister was referring to practical, localised border management issues – such as activities in no-man's-land areas or shifts caused by natural features like rivers – rather than formal territorial claims or concessions on core disputed regions. The ministry emphasised ongoing technical discussions between Nepali and Indian teams to address boundary matters.
"The issue mentioned by the prime minister in Parliament is essentially related to encroachment in the Dasgaja area [no-man's land] and cross-border occupation," the ministry said.
Despite the clarification, the damage appeared done.
THE CORE DISPUTE OF KALAPANI, LIPULEKH, LIMPIYADHURA
There has been a long-standing territorial dispute between India and Nepal in the Himalayan region, near the India-Nepal-China tri-junction. The area in question covers around 370 square kilometres and includes Kalapani, the strategically important Lipulekh Pass, and Limpiyadhura.
The roots of the dispute go back to the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, signed between the Nepalese monarch and the British East India Company after the Anglo-Nepalese War. The treaty identified the Kali River as the western boundary of Nepal. However, India and Nepal differ over the river's exact source and course, leading to competing interpretations of the boundary.
Nepal argues that the river originates at Limpiyadhura, which would place Kalapani and Lipulekh within Nepali territory.
India maintains that the boundary is based on a different source of the Kali River near Kalapani, citing historical records, surveys and long-standing administrative control of the area.
India administers the region as part of Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand and has maintained a presence there for decades, given its strategic location near the Chinese border. Nepal has continued to raise its claims through diplomatic and political channels, including the publication of updated maps in recent years, while India has rejected these claims and maintained that its position is supported by historical and legal evidence.
The Lipulekh Pass is particularly significant because it serves as a key route for trade and for Indian pilgrims travelling to Mount Kailash in Tibet. The issue drew renewed attention in 2020 after India's Border Roads Organisation (BRO) inaugurated a road leading to the pass, a move that was criticised by Nepal.
Speaking on the controversy surrounding India's road to Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, then-Army Chief General MM Naravane suggested that Nepal's opposition to the project might have been influenced by an external actor, in an apparent reference to China.
Since then, it has remained a sensitive issue in bilateral ties.
This border episode shows the delicate balance Nepal must maintain with India. India and Nepal share deep cultural, economic, and people-to-people ties, with open borders facilitating movement and trade.
For Balen Shah's government, the priority now appears to be damage control while reaffirming its commitment to resolving disputes through dialogue. The irony. A young leader who rode a wave of protests to Nepal's top post is now facing protests just months into his new job.
Nepal's politics descended into chaos this week after Prime Minister Balendra "Balen" Shah said in Parliament that the border dispute between India and Nepal was not a one-sided issue. His remarks sparked a political storm, with opposition parties and students demanding his resignation. Balen, who rode to power on a wave of protests, is facing widespread protests just months into his job as the PM.
The controversy has once again brought attention to the India-Nepal border issue, especially the areas of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura.
Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura are integral parts of India, and the Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly reiterated that India's position on these territories is clear, consistent and non-negotiable.
On Sunday, during a discussion in Nepal's Parliament on the long-running border dispute, Prime Minister Shah said Nepal had crossed into Indian territory at several points along the border. The remark sparked a major controversy.
Shah reportedly urged both countries to rely on historians, surveyors, and experts to resolve the matter, referencing diplomatic notes exchanged with India and even suggesting involvement from the United Kingdom due to colonial-era maps. He framed the issue as one requiring mutual understanding rather than unilateral accusations.
On Tuesday, the Indian government issued a statement, saying there was no role for any third party in any Indo-Nepal border issue. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said boundary-related matters are strictly bilateral, and being addressed through existing mechanisms established by the two countries.
Balen Shah's remarks came years after Nepal under former PM KP Sharma Oli had taken steps, including approving updates to its national map, to assert claims over the disputed areas.
Shah is a former rapper, Bengaluru-trained engineer and former mayor of Kathmandu, who rose to prominence and became the PM as an outsider challenging Nepal's traditional political parties.
He stirred a row as the mayor of Kathmandu when he displayed a "Greater Nepal" map in his office, a gesture widely seen as a response to the "Akhand Bharat" map showcased in the Indian Parliament.
PROTESTS, RESIGNATION DEMANDS OVER BALEN'S IRRESPONSIBLE REMARKS
The remarks triggered immediate and visible public anger. Student organisations staged a protest at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu on Monday against the Prime Minister's comments, reported The Kathmandu Post.
Demonstrators gathered under the slogan "Let's protect sovereignty", accusing Balen Shah of making "anti-national" statements.
Separately, the Nepali Congress-affiliated Tarun Dal organised a peaceful protest march at the same location. They condemned what they described as the prime minister's irresponsible remarks. Opposition parties and other groups viewed Shah's statement as undermining Nepal's longstanding position on the border issues.
The Kathmandu Post highlighted how the protests reflected broader concerns about national sovereignty, with participants arguing that acknowledging any Nepali encroachment weakened Kathmandu's negotiating stance with India.
In Parliament itself, proceedings in both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly were disrupted as lawmakers protested. Opposition members demanded an apology and the removal of Shah's remarks from the official records.
NEPAL'S FOREIGN MINISTRY STEPS IN TO CONTROL DAMAGE
Critics across Nepal's political spectrum argued that Balen Shah's words risked diluting Nepal's consistent diplomatic narrative regarding Indian actions in the disputed zones.
Members of several opposition parties, led by the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, staged a protest inside Parliament on Monday, chanting slogans and demanding Prime Minister Balendra Shah's resignation over what they described as his failure to answer to the House, reported news agency ANI.
Nepal's Foreign Ministry later stepped in with a clarification, explaining that the Prime Minister was referring to practical, localised border management issues – such as activities in no-man's-land areas or shifts caused by natural features like rivers – rather than formal territorial claims or concessions on core disputed regions. The ministry emphasised ongoing technical discussions between Nepali and Indian teams to address boundary matters.
"The issue mentioned by the prime minister in Parliament is essentially related to encroachment in the Dasgaja area [no-man's land] and cross-border occupation," the ministry said.
Despite the clarification, the damage appeared done.
THE CORE DISPUTE OF KALAPANI, LIPULEKH, LIMPIYADHURA
There has been a long-standing territorial dispute between India and Nepal in the Himalayan region, near the India-Nepal-China tri-junction. The area in question covers around 370 square kilometres and includes Kalapani, the strategically important Lipulekh Pass, and Limpiyadhura.
The roots of the dispute go back to the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, signed between the Nepalese monarch and the British East India Company after the Anglo-Nepalese War. The treaty identified the Kali River as the western boundary of Nepal. However, India and Nepal differ over the river's exact source and course, leading to competing interpretations of the boundary.
Nepal argues that the river originates at Limpiyadhura, which would place Kalapani and Lipulekh within Nepali territory.
India maintains that the boundary is based on a different source of the Kali River near Kalapani, citing historical records, surveys and long-standing administrative control of the area.
India administers the region as part of Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand and has maintained a presence there for decades, given its strategic location near the Chinese border. Nepal has continued to raise its claims through diplomatic and political channels, including the publication of updated maps in recent years, while India has rejected these claims and maintained that its position is supported by historical and legal evidence.
The Lipulekh Pass is particularly significant because it serves as a key route for trade and for Indian pilgrims travelling to Mount Kailash in Tibet. The issue drew renewed attention in 2020 after India's Border Roads Organisation (BRO) inaugurated a road leading to the pass, a move that was criticised by Nepal.
Speaking on the controversy surrounding India's road to Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, then-Army Chief General MM Naravane suggested that Nepal's opposition to the project might have been influenced by an external actor, in an apparent reference to China.
Since then, it has remained a sensitive issue in bilateral ties.
This border episode shows the delicate balance Nepal must maintain with India. India and Nepal share deep cultural, economic, and people-to-people ties, with open borders facilitating movement and trade.
For Balen Shah's government, the priority now appears to be damage control while reaffirming its commitment to resolving disputes through dialogue. The irony. A young leader who rode a wave of protests to Nepal's top post is now facing protests just months into his new job.
