Congress Whip Demands PM Balen Shah Apology Over Border Remarks

Kathmandu. Nepali Congress National Assembly Whip Padam Bahadur Pariyar has warned that the parliament session will not be allowed to proceed unless Prime Minister Balen Shah apologizes for his statement that 'Nepal has encroached upon many parts of India'.

Speaking in a special time after the National Assembly meeting began on Tuesday, he said the Prime Minister's statement was highly objectionable and condemnable. He made it clear that the meeting would not be allowed to proceed unless Prime Minister Shah came to parliament and apologized.

Whip Pariyar claimed that this statement exposed Prime Minister Shah's lack of basic knowledge of diplomacy and politics. He reiterated that such irresponsible and directionless views of the Prime Minister would not be acceptable to the Congress under any circumstances.

He alleged that it was treasonous for the head of government himself to admit that Nepal had encroached upon Indian land, when it is known to all that about 372 square kilometers of Nepal's territory, including Limpiyadhura, Lipulek, and Kalapani, has been encroached upon by India.

Similarly, Pariyar said the Prime Minister's claim that talks were being held with Britain about the border issue was even more ridiculous and sensitive. He questioned whether this statement was the official stance of the government or only that of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).

Speaking in parliament, he said, 'The Prime Minister's statement is unforgivable. It is objectionable. And, it is also highly condemnable. It exposes his weak political consciousness. Not only that, the directionless views on the border issue that have been expressed by the head of government are not acceptable to the Nepali Congress.'

Whip Pariyar also expressed anger over the recent visit of RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane to India. He accused Lamichhane of failing to follow the importance of the multifaceted relationship between the two countries during his visit to India.

According to news published in Indian media, he said that the Congress has taken serious note of Chairman Lamichhane presenting the historical relationship between Nepal and India only as a model of general development, thereby speaking from a very narrow perspective.

The Congress has put forward a clear demand in parliament: Prime Minister Shah must either provide facts and evidence about which place and how many square meters of Indian land Nepal has encroached upon, or admit his mistake without hesitation. Pariyar said that since parliament is the Prime Minister's own arena, he should have the courage to say without hesitation, 'I spoke beyond facts and in haste, I am sorry'.

He clarified that if the Prime Minister does not apologize in parliament, the Nepali Congress and other opposition parties will not allow the proceedings of the house to continue in the current state. He stated that the head of government does not have the liberty to speak carelessly on sensitive issues like borders without evidence.