Check Credit Score
Check Credit Score
HomeNewsIndia

Coronavirus pandemic: Indian virus 'more lethal' than Chinese, says Nepal PM KP Oli

This has further escalated the rift between India and Nepal, which was triggered by the Kalapani dispute.

May 20, 2020 / 03:25 PM IST

Intensifying his offensive against India, Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli said the virus from India “looks more lethal” than Chinese and Italian, accusing India for the spread of coronavirus cases in the country.

According to a report by NDTV, the Nepalese PM in his Parliament speech on May 20 said those entering Nepal through illegal channels are spreading the virus in the country, and that some party leaders are bringing in people from India without proper testing.

In his first Parliament address after the outbreak of coronavirus, PM Oli said, “It has become very difficult to contain COVID-19 due to the flow of people from outside. Indian virus looks more lethal than Chinese and Italian now. More are getting infected.”

This has further escalated the rift between India and Nepal, which was triggered by the Kalapani dispute.

Talking about the issue, he said Nepal would bring back Kalapani-Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh area “at any cost”. Recently, the Nepal Cabinet had released a political map, which showed the tri-junction as a part of the country.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

View more
How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

How many types of vaccines are there?

There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

View more
Show

Nepal has two tri-junctions with India – the Lipulekh Pass in the west and Jhinsang Chull in the east. The one under dispute currently is the Lipulekh Pass, located in Kalapani area at the border of Uttarakhand with Nepal.

Kalapani is a 35 square kilometre area in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

However, the Nepalese government contends that the Lipulekh Pass belongs to them as mentioned in Sugauli Treaty signed between the British East India Company and Nepal in 1816.

Nepal has been worried ever since Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on May 8 inaugurated a road connecting the Lipulekh pass with the Kailash Mansarovar route in China. Not only has Nepal protested the move, it is also considering putting up a security post in the area.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has maintained that the road going through Uttarakhand''s Pithoragarh district "lies completely within the territory of India".

Asserting that the newly inaugurated road follows the pre-existing route which is used pilgrims of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, the MEA said, "Under the present project, the same road has been made pliable for the ease and convenience of pilgrims, locals, and traders."

Moneycontrol News
first published: May 20, 2020 03:25 pm

Discover the latest business news, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!

Advisory Alert: It has come to our attention that certain individuals are representing themselves as affiliates of Moneycontrol and soliciting funds on the false promise of assured returns on their investments. We wish to reiterate that Moneycontrol does not solicit funds from investors and neither does it promise any assured returns. In case you are approached by anyone making such claims, please write to us at grievanceofficer@nw18.com or call on 02268882347