Lawmaker of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former cricketer Kirti Azad said that Nepal should return 15 districts of the Tarai region to India. Nepal should hand over its 15 districts of Tarai region to India otherwise they should be annexed even by using force by India, Indian newspapers Jagaran quoted Indian lawmaker Azad as speaking at a program organized in Darbhanga, India. Azad has further argued that the claim that the Tarai-based 15 districts had been returned to Nepal by Britishers is entirely baseless. He further stated that no one has raised this issue as of today and added that India should reclaim over these districts. He said he will raise this issue in the parliament, too, so as to reclaim these 15 districts. Azad has also warned that Nepal should be prepared to return these districts to India. The statement of the Indian ruling party lawmaker has come at a time when Nepal is reeling under a stern crisis following the Indian blockade on Nepal. Indian Embassy in Nepal has, however, clarified that this statement does not reflect the official views of the Indian government, the embassy said on its official Twitter. "Lawmaker Kirti Azad's statement does not reflect the official views of the Indian government."
