Nepal has issued a new Rs 100 note showing Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura as its territory. The note, based on a 2020 map, is rekindling the India-Nepal border dispute and is likely to escalate diplomatic tensions.
Kathmandu. Nepal has once again taken such a step which has brought the India-Nepal border dispute into the headlines. Nepal has issued a new currency note of Rs 100, in which a map is printed which includes the three areas of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura which India considers as its part. Nepal claims that these areas belong to it, while India says this is completely wrong. After the release of this new note, the political turmoil between the two countries has again intensified.
What did Nepal Rastra Bank say?
According to Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the new currency note has been prepared based on the decision taken by their government in 2020. That year, the KP Sharma Oli government gave a major boost to the entire controversy by releasing a new political map. Parliament had also approved that map. Now the same map has been printed directly on the bank notes, due to which the matter has become more sensitive.
How is Nepal’s new 100 rupee note?
The new note is quite attractive in appearance. On its left is Mount Everest, on the right is a watermark of Nepal’s national flower rhododendron and in the middle is a map of Nepal in light green. “Lumbini, Birthplace of Lord Buddha” is also written near the map along with Ashoka Pillar. The reverse side has an image of a one-horned rhinoceros along with a raised black dot to help visually impaired people identify it. But the thing that attracts the most attention is the disputed map.
Did Nepal deliberately include the disputed map in the note?
NRB spokesperson says that the old Rs 100 note also had the map, but now it has been modified as per the government’s decision. He also clarified that the remaining notes of Nepal – Rs 10, Rs 50, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 – do not have maps. The new map has been applied only on Rs 100 note. That is, in a way the government has tried to send a message that it is not going to back down on the areas it claims.
How can India react to this new note?
When Nepal passed the disputed map in Parliament in 2020, India had strongly protested, calling it a “unilateral action”. India says that these three areas belong to it and this claim is absolutely clear on historical basis. Now that this map has been printed directly on the currency notes, India’s reaction may once again be sharp.
Why did Nepal take this step now? Does it have political meaning?
Nepal has often shown its political strength in these areas. Experts say that this step may have been taken to increase nationalism among the public and strengthen political support. Nepal is connected to India by about 1850 kilometers and relations between the two countries are centuries old. But border disputes sour relations every time.
Will this note again put India-Nepal relations under strain?
The new Rs 100 note is not just a currency but a big political message. This step may again bring the relations between India and Nepal into discussion in the coming days.