A border dispute has cropped up again between India and Nepal. It is not the first time that the two friendly neighbours have locked horns over territorial dispute.
The two nations have such close cultural and traditional ties that the citizens don’t need a passport to travel to either country.
As I had mentioned in an article in Frontier of 28 June, 1969, at the root of the problem is the ‘British made boundary’. The Nepalese side has expressed its dissatisfaction over the job done by the British.
Excerpts from ‘The Susta Issue’:
It is not just a boundary problem. Indo-Nepal relations were very good in the past. Everything was there – cooperation, trade and commerce.
There is a geographical relation between the two countries as well as historical. Then, why the change?
A section of Nepalese think that India is trying to impose herself on Nepal. Extremist elements are growing and a large section of students is under the influence of pro-Peking politics.
These are the factors in whose light we have to see Susta, which sparked off a series of anti-Indian demonstrations in recent months in several towns of Nepal.
Susta is a forest area near Gorakhpur, at the tri-junction of Nepal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Both countries claimed ownership of Susta.
The Nepalese side wanted the boundary to be fixed in accordance with the map of 1817. The Indian side produced records and evidence regarding the boundary on the basis of Joint Boundary Commission’s Report and map of 1930-31.
The third round of talks (between India and Nepal) was held on May 6. The Nepalese delegation was laid by Foreign Minister GB Rajbhandari, and the Indian team by External Affair Minister Dinesh Singh.
Said Dinesh Singh: “We have no dispute at all. Only in Susta region the boundary has to be relocated and pillars put up.”
Frontier, 28 June 1969
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