KATHMANDU, June 2: Both Houses of Nepal’s Parliament were adjourned on Tuesday after opposition lawmakers continued to disrupt proceedings over controversial remarks made by Prime Minister Balendra Shah regarding Nepal’s border dispute with India.
The protests stem from Shah’s statement in Parliament on Sunday that Nepal had also encroached on Indian territory in some places, a remark that sparked political controversy.
He also suggested that India and Nepal could seek assistance from historians, surveyors and experts to resolve boundary issues and indicated that Nepal had discussed the matter with China and the United Kingdom.
Opposition lawmakers demanded that the Prime Minister withdraw his comments and have them removed from the parliamentary record.
Their protests disrupted proceedings in both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly, forcing adjournments.
The Lower House has been suspended until June 8, while the National Assembly is set to reconvene on June 3.
India rejected any role for third parties in resolving the dispute, reiterating that boundary issues should be settled through bilateral dialogue.
The two countries have long-standing disagreements over the territories of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, which both claim.
Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said nearly 98 per cent of the India-Nepal boundary has already been demarcated, with only a few unresolved segments remaining.
He added that both countries are jointly mapping areas affected by river course changes and cross-border encroachments. (PTI)
