Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s Statement on ‘Land Encroachment’ Sparks Controversy, Opposition Demands Removal from Parliamentary Records

Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s statement alleging that India has “encroached on Nepalese land” has sparked significant controversy. Opposition parties have condemned the remark as “against national sovereignty” and have demanded its immediate removal from parliamentary records, urging the Prime Minister to provide further clarification. The comment made by the Prime Minister on Sunday has been criticized as controversial, with opposition leaders calling it “irresponsible” and insisting that it must be corrected without delay.

On Monday afternoon, opposition parties held a joint meeting and disrupted parliamentary proceedings in protest. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement issued Sunday evening, clarified that the Prime Minister’s comment primarily related to the encroachment on the Dashgaja area and the issue of “cross-border occupation” of lands beyond the national boundary. The opposition Communist Party of Nepal (UML) has also organized protests against the statement on the streets.

So far, there has been no response from the ruling party, the Nepal government, or Prime Minister Balendra Shah regarding the opposition’s demands. At the start of the House of Representatives session, all members of parliament stood in protest. Nepali Congress MP Niskal Rai described the Prime Minister’s remark as “extremely immature,” adding, “That statement has been recorded in the parliamentary record and sets a dangerous precedent.” He warned that such comments against the national interest put Nepal at risk of being labeled a “border encroacher” and stated that unless the statement is corrected, his party cannot cooperate with the government.