RSS (KATHMANDU, 15 July 2020) – India has obstructed the mobility of local residents to and from Kalapani area of Byas rural municipality in Darchula. Indian security personnel now are preventing local residents from moving to the vicinity of Kalapani origin which was not blocked before.
With the Nepal government unveiling a new political administrative map including Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, the Indian security force has further come down to Nepali territory and ramped up their presence and surveillance. It may be noted that the Indian side has further expanded its barricade to Nepali land by a kilometer to crackdown people’s mobility.
Even Nepali security personnel have not been able to reach up to Kalapani. Though the Armed Police and Nepal Police based at Gaga in Byas attempted to reach the Kali Temple, the Indian security force has obstructed them to move towards the destination. The Indian security has obstructed Nepali security personnel while the latter were heading to see the origin of the Mahakali River.
Local people are not in a position to reach there now. India has made a bulk presence of its security personnel at Kalapani area with the escalation of border dispute between India and China of late. According to a Nepali security personnel deputed in Byas, the Indian security are preventing us from going to the origin of the Mahakali.
“We urged them to allow to reach there without possessing weapon”, he said, adding they however stopped us to take stride”. Local people have been fearful of reaching to the upper Kauwa region. They are afraid of having mobility through their own territory. Deepak Khati, who reached the Kalapani area, said it was disappointing for the Indian SSB to prevent the mobility of Nepali people in the area.
According to the new map unveiled by the government, three Nepali villages – Kuti, Gunji and Nawi are still in Indian Territory. Even Nepali people have no access up to Kalapani area within a boundary of 62 kilometres of Nepal as per the old map. “It is far cry to reach the new land. India is still blocking people to reach to the old territory”, Khati added. Pushkar Bohora, a local, said, “The more we chant slogan in Kathmandu claiming Kalapani as our land, the more security alert and crackdown India will put here to stop mobility of Nepali people in our territory”. In the past, Nepali people and security personnel used to have mobility to and from the Southern corner of Kalapani area. Locals from Chhangaru used to reach up to the modified origin of Mahakali and Kali Temple constructed at Kalapani.
Nepali residents have demanded the placement of security posts at Kauwa area with the Indian security attempting to put the area under their control. “We have frequently urged the authorities to place the armed police post at Kauwa area”, said Ashok Singh Bohora, ward chair of Byas rural municipality-1. The armed police force had set up its post at Gaga area. However, preparation is underway for the setup of armed police post at Kauwa area.