India’s chest-thumping BJP seems surprised that Nepal too has resorted to nationalist politics

[kevinUsa]

For a government that relies so heavily on muscular nationalism and rhetoric around territorial sovereignty as well as the freedom to take independent foreign policy positions, the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled India seems oddly surprised that another country might resort to the same strategy.

New Delhi has known about Nepal’s claims on Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura, which fall in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, since the 1990s. It was alerted to Kathmandu’s current concerns in November 2019. Yet the Indian government appeared to be taken aback when its virtual inauguration of a road that travels through this territory into China provoked a nationalist response in Nepal, with hashtags like #BackOffIndia trending on social media.

[dasara_bullodu1]

Ladakh lo roads moosey gane all holes close chestaru le

[KaipuRaja]

Nepal could be purely doing under the influence of China.. and frankly it might be the same even if butt thumping Congress is in power.