KATHMANDU: A Cabinet meeting held today has approved the issuance of a new political map incorporating Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani as Nepali territories. President Bidya Devi Bhandari, while presenting the policies and programmes of the Government of Nepal on Friday, had assured the public that a new political map will be issued incorporating these territories. Ministry of Land Management had prepared the map which was presented at the Cabinet for approval by Minister Padma Kumari Aryal. Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali stated that the Cabinet has decided to issue a new political map which will soon be published by the Land Management Ministry. https://twitter.com/PradeepgyawaliK/status/1262403555731759104?s=19 Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai hailed this step as a historic one and said today's decision and dated will be etched in golden words in history.

आज नेपाल सरकारको मन्त्रिपरिसदको निर्णय इतिहासको पन्नामा सुवर्ण अक्षरले त लेखिनेनै छ । आजको मिति र निर्णय युग युगसम्म हाजिरीजवाफमा सोधिने प्रश्नका रुपमा पनि अमर भाईरहने छ । धन्यवाद प्रम केपी शर्मा ओली !

— Yogesh Bhattarai (@yogesbhattarai) May 18, 2020 The issue of these contentious regions, in which Nepal points towards India for border encroachment, had recently resurfaced following the inauguration of a link road by India through Lipulekh. Ever since, Nepali nationals have expressed widespread outrage condemning the activity of its southern neighbour and the apparent lack of initiative regarding the issue on the part of our government. Furthermore, Nepal has also witnessed vehement protests wherein some dissenting Nepalis took to the streets even defying the nationwide lockdown and risk of COVID-19 transmission. READ ALSO: Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, Kalapani: Trying to understand the dispute