Karan Singh faults both India, Nepal for map imbroglio

We should have never allowed the situation to deteriorate like this, says Congress leader.

Former Rajya Sabha member Karan Singh on Monday said the Nepal government’s decision to include parts of India by redrawing its map is an “irreversible confrontational act but also called it a diplomatic lapse on India’s part”.

In a statement, Dr. Singh slammed Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli for redrawing the boundary. Dr. Singh belongs to the former royal family of Kashmir and is married into Nepal’s former royal family.

Nepal move on map is unilateral, makes talks difficult now, say sources

“As one who has been closely associated both personally and politically with Nepal over several decades, I must express my sense of deep regret and dismay that Prime Minister Oli has moved the country in what can only be described as an irreversible confrontational posture vis-a-vis India despite the profound social, cultural, religious, economic and political relations that go back many centuries,” Dr. Singh said.

“Whatever impact this move may or may not have on India, I fear the consequences for Nepal will not be favourable for the people of its beautiful country.”

Dr. Singh’s statement comes after Nepal’s lower house of Parliament last Saturday passed a constitutional amendment bill to include parts of Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district.

The veteran Congress leader also asked why the government of India had allowed things to reach such a pass.

“…We should have never allowed the situation to deteriorate like this.” He said though Nepal had raised it in November last, India ‘surprisingly’ didn’’t take seriously.

“We should have immediately initiated Foreign Secretary level talks and then, if necessary, raise it to the level of Foreign Minister or even the Prime Ministers. Prima facie, this appears to have been a serious diplomatic lapse, the consequences of which are before us,” Dr. Singh said.

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