The Nepal government has announced that it is seeking a detailed report from its embassy in New Delhi concerning the murals displayed in the new Indian Parliament building.
N.P. Saud, Nepal’s Foreign Minister, stated that the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi has been directed to provide a report on the murals (maps) depicted in the Indian Parliament building.
During a meeting of the International Relations Committee of the Federal Parliament on Tuesday, Saud informed that the embassy has been instructed to investigate the matter with Indian authorities and furnish a report on the murals.
The issue has sparked significant controversy in Kathmandu. However, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal clarified that during his visit to New Delhi, the Indian side confirmed that the murals were cultural representations rather than political assertions.
Saud further briefed the Committee that the murals exhibited in the newly constructed Indian Parliament building depict Emperor Ashoka’s empire expansion during his reign.
“The Committee acknowledges that the official stance of the Government of India, as communicated by the Foreign Minister, asserts that this matter is non-political,” he stated. Additionally, he mentioned that the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi has been instructed to engage in discussions with Indian authorities and submit a report.
Saud emphasized that the government has taken note of the murals featured in the Indian Parliament building and reassured that the committee, its members, and the government stand united in safeguarding Nepal’s international borders. “We have a consensus on this issue at a national level,” he affirmed.
Saud reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to preserving Nepal’s sovereignty, national unity, independence, and international borders. He emphasized that not even an inch of Nepali territory would be allowed to be encroached upon.
Earlier, Balen Shah, the Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, stirred controversy by displaying the Greater Nepal map at his office in response to the Indian murals that allegedly portrayed certain areas of Nepal, such as Lumbini and Kapilvastu, as part of ‘Akhand Bharat’ (Undivided India). (Edited)