Ensure passage of the Millennium Challenge Corporation agreement

Kathmandu, May 17

Leader of Opposition Sher Bahadur Deuba today told the House of Representatives that the government did not have any idea about the magnitude of loss that the country would suffer due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Taking part in the government’s policies and programmes deliberations in the House of Representatives, Deuba said the government was not acting sincerely and sensitively to ameliorate the plight of people affected by the virus crisis.

He said the mention of encroachment of Nepali territory — Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani — in the government’s policies and programmes was positive but not adequate.

Deuba said that India had built a link road from Pithauragadh to Lipulekh as per the agreement signed between India and China and the government had to hold dialogue with India to resolve the problem arising from construction of the link road encroaching Nepal’s territory.

India has counter claims on Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani.

Deuba also demanded that the government ensure passage of the Millennium Challenge Corporation agreement signed between Nepal and the US. He said if the agreement signed by the previous government was rescinded by the incumbent government, that could set a bad precedent.

Deputy Parliamentary Party Leader of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Subas Chandra Nembang told the House that he did not endorse the treaty signed between India and China making Limpiyadhura a trijunciton.

“We will fight against it with humility and we will proceed ahead with the matter by solidifying unity in the country,” he said.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on May 18, 2020 of The Himalayan Times.