KATHMANDU: Chiranjivi Nepal, the economic adviser to Nepal’s President Ram Chandra Paudel, has resigned after his controversial remarks on the government’s decision to issue new 100-rupee notes with a map that includes three Indian territories, a move already rejected by India.
The President approved Chiranjivi Nepal’s resignation on Sunday, according to a press release issued by the Office of the President.
“I made the remarks as an economist and a former governor of the central bank but some news media have twisted it in an attempt to unnecessarily drag the respectful institution of the President into controversy, which made me feel sad,” Chiranjivi Nepal said on Monday.
The new map includes territories such as Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura. India maintains Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura belong to it.
“I, therefore, tendered my resignation taking the moral obligation of the attempt made by some online news portals which have tried to drag the President into controversy based on my statement,” he said. “My intention in the statement was just to make people aware as a conscious citizen that such acts could create practical problems to the country and the people at a time when discussions are underway at diplomatic levels (on the map),” he clarified.
A Cabinet meeting last week decided to replace the old map with the new one while printing new notes of Rs 100.
CPN-UML chairman and former PM KP Sharma Oli had publicly criticised Chiranjivi Nepal for his remarks. Earlier, a group of civil society leaders had demanded the removal of Chiranjivi Nepal over his remarks against the government’s decision to print new Rs 100 notes with the map of Nepal as per the amended Constitution.