India rejects Nepal’s objections to the annual Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route planned via Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand. New Delhi says the Lipulekh route has been used since 1954 and characterizes Nepal’s territorial claim as “unilateral” and “artificial enlargement,” calling it “untenable.”
The dispute follows a statement from Nepal’s foreign ministry objecting to India and China making preparations for the yatra through Lipulekh without consulting Kathmandu, with Nepal saying the area belongs to it. India’s response comes after the Ministry of External Affairs announced that the yatra will run from June to August and will be conducted through two routes: Lipulekh Pass and Nathu La in Sikkim. China also indicates it is making preparations for the pilgrimage.
The Kailash Mansarovar yatra is a religious journey for multiple faiths, including Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists, visiting Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.
