World / Nepal PM uses old map without Indian territory in Dussehra greeting card

Kathmandu: Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli was at the centre of a new controversy Saturday following the use of the country’s old map in his Vijaya Dashami greeting card which had the national emblem and his portrait printed on it.

Following escalation of the boundary dispute with India this summer, Nepal published a new map to include areas of the Indian state of Uttarakhand.

The Opposition criticised him for using the old map in the card, saying he was trying to “backtrack on the issue, undermining the spirit behind the national consensus on the territorial issue”.

Surya Thapa, the PM’s press advisor, said the map in the greeting card was the new one, but because of its small size, the new areas were not visible.

Six weeks ago, Oli had ordered withdrawal of school textbooks that had included the new map. India and Nepal are trying to mend ties, severely strained after Nepal published its new map.

Earlier this week, Oli had a long meeting with Indian R&AW chief Samant Kumar Goel, and his own party leaders were furious that he did not keep them in the loop. Indian Army chief General MM Naravane is scheduled to visit Nepal next month.