Kathmandu: The Nepal Army (NA) has clarified that the Indian Army chief, Manoj Mukund Naravane will be arriving Nepal on November 4 for a three day visit at the invitation of Nepal army chief General Purna Chandra Thapa.
Issuing a press release on Tuesday, NA Directorate of Public Relations and Information has said the visit will be from November 4-6, 2020. The release says, “The main events include paying homage at the martyr’s memorial in the Nepal Army Pavilion, receive an honour guard, hold office meeting with his counterpart General Purna Chandra Thapa and address the student officers at Shivapuri.”
Similarly, President Bidya Devi Bhandari will confer General Naravane of the rank of an honorary General of the Nepal Army on November 5 at a special ceremony at Sheetal Niwas.
General Naravane is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister and Defense Minister KP Sharma Oli on the final day of his visit, according the Nepal Army.
General Naravane’s Nepal visit itself is a controversial one because of his past remarks on Nepal’s territorial dispute with India in the western part, Kalapani, Lipulek and Limpiyadhura.
He has criticised Nepal being tilted towards China. Different section of Nepali political and civil society have requested Nepal government to stop the visit of General Naravane. However, the government has taken it an advantage to initiate stalled dialogue with India in a political spectrum.
