‘Nepal Has Not Encroached an Inch of Indian Land’ : Former Ambassador Acharya Rebuts Prime Minister’s Claim

Kathmandu. Former Nepali Ambassador to India and member of the Nepal–India Eminent Persons Group (EPG), Nilambar Acharya, has expressed strong disagreement with Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s public statement that “Nepal has encroached upon Indian land”. Stating that the Prime Minister’s claim does not align with facts, Acharya made it clear that “the Nepali state has not encroached upon Indian land anywhere at all”.

“It is not as the Prime Minister has said — Nepal has not encroached upon Indian land,” Acharya stated. “Some problems may have surfaced in the border areas due to missing Jange pillars, or because local residents cross over for farming and settlement. But to label that as the state deliberately encroaching upon land is wrong.” He further demanded clarity on the context and evidence behind the Prime Minister’s remark. “In what context, or with reference to which incident or location, the Prime Minister made such a statement has not been made clear,” Acharya added.

The former ambassador recalled the fact that 97 percent of the overall boundary disputes between Nepal and India have already been resolved. He clarified that the only remaining disputed areas are Limpiyadhura, Lipulek, Kalapani, and Susta in Nawalparasi. “Apart from these places, the rest cannot be termed border disputes; they are problems, not disputes,” he said. He opined that although instances exist where Indian nationals farm on Nepali land and Nepali nationals farm on Indian land along the border, these do not amount to state-level encroachment between the two countries.

It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Shah recently made a statement at a public event implying that Nepal, too, has encroached upon Indian land. His remark has sparked a perception in public circles that an attempt is being made from the government level to give a new twist to the boundary dispute. Former Ambassador Acharya’s reaction has come as a direct rebuttal to the Prime Minister’s claim.

At a time when the Nepal–India boundary dispute has long been addressed through diplomatic dialogue and the EPG mechanism, concerns have been raised in diplomatic circles that a statement from a high-ranking figure like the Prime Minister could undermine the spirit of bilateral negotiations.