The economic advisor to Nepal’s President resigned on Sunday, a week after he criticised his government’s decision to issue currency notes that depict the country’s new map with areas in India.
Chiranjibi Nepal, who is also the former governor of Nepal’s central bank, had told The Indian Express that the move to include Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani — which are under India’s control — was “unwise”. His comments drew immediate criticism from K P Sharma Oli of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist.
PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal was said to have spoken to President Ram Chandra Poudel regarding the comments. The President’s office confirmed that his resignation has been accepted.
Many had called for Nepal’s removal from the post including former ambassador to India Nilambar Acharya, former chief of Nepal’s anti-graft body Suryanath Upadhyay and Sushil Pyakurel, adviser to former president Bidya Devi Bhandari.
“I oppose the move as a former Governor of the Rastra Bank, and not as an adviser to the President,” Nepal had said soon after the government’s decision to put the map on the notes was made public on May 4. He said: “Nepal being in dispute with India over certain parts of territory is one thing, but printing in the currency a map that is different from what the international bodies, including two neighbours, have recognised is unwise.”
