KATHMANDU: Six border experts and analysts have expressed serious objections to the remarks regarding the border made by the Prime Minister Balendra Shah in the House of Representatives today.

Calling the Prime Minister’s statement baseless and factless, they have demanded a public clarification and apology.

Border expert Buddhi Narayan Shrestha, Prof. Dr. Pitambar Sharma, Prof. Dr. Narendra Khanal, Dr. Jagat Bhusal, international border expert Prabhakar Sharma, and Dr. Dwarikanath Dhungel issued a joint statement expressing regret over the Prime Minister’s remarks.

During a question-and-answer session in the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister Shah had made remarks implying that “Nepal has also encroached upon India’s border.”

The experts stated that such remarks have created unnecessary confusion on sensitive issues like nationality and borders.

The joint statement mentions that the claim of Nepal encroaching upon Indian territory has not been confirmed by any official body to date.

They asserted that even though the Nepal-India Joint Border Committee has completed 98 percent of the border management work, no conclusion has ever emerged from any quarter suggesting that Nepal has encroached upon Indian territory.

Reminding that the border disputes regarding the source of the Mahakali River and the Susta region are still pending resolution, the experts stated that it is unfortunate for the executive head to make factless remarks on matters linked to the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Referring to the fact that Nepal has already issued an updated political and administrative map, the experts have urged the Prime Minister to make public the basis and evidence for his remarks.

Claiming that the Prime Minister’s remarks have caused confusion among the general public, the experts have put forward a three-point demand.

They have demanded that the Prime Minister immediately issue a public clarification, apologize for the statement, and take initiatives with the Speaker to remove the remarks from the records of the House of Representatives.