Lipulekh Pass Row: MEA Rejects Nepal’s Claims Says Kailash Yatra Route Happening Since 1954’

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday reiterated that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Lipulekh Pass is not a new development. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a press briefing, said that the pilgrimage has been happening through this route since 1954.“We have already made a statement. This is not new; the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been happening since 1954 through this route. That is where it stands. It is not a new development, and I would refer you to the statement issued by us for more details,” Jaiswal said. Meanwhile, the MEA also said India is ready to talk with Nepal over the issues. The Lipulekh Pass is located in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district. The MEA spokesperson’s remarks came days after

Nepal’s renewed territorial claims on the pass. Notably, on Sunday, Nepal objected to India and China for planning the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage through the Lipulekh Pass.India's Response To Nepal's Lipulekh Claims: India strongly rejected Nepal’s claims, terming it as a long-standing route for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra since 1954, and the Yatra through this route has been going on for decades. Jaiswal, in a social media post, said this in response to claims related to border issues made by the Foreign Ministry of Nepal in the context of the annual Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.

He had also stressed that India’s position in this regard had been consistent. Jaiswal had also pointed out that India has consistently maintained that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. He stressed that such unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable. The spokesperson had added that India remains open to a constructive interaction with Nepal on all issues in the bilateral relationship, including on resolving agreed outstanding boundary issues through dialogue and diplomacy.Lipulekh Dispute:Lipulekh Pass has been at the centre of the long-standing dispute between India and Nepal. The dispute began in 2020 during the then Nepalese prime minister KP Sharma Oli regime. In the same year, Nepal published a new political map of the Himalayan nation, further escalating the matter. India has rejected Nepal’s claims.