India and her Neighbors-Part 3

Relation with Neighbors

Nepali in Indian Gorkha rifles
(Source: Wikipedia)

Lets talk about Indo-Nepal relationship. Nepal and India have shared a long relation from the ancient past. Goddess Sita from Nepal married Lord Rama of Ayodhya India.  King Tribhuvan married two daughters of Punjab, India. Still today, many people from India and Nepal make marriage relationship not only at local level but also into high level. Current Commander in Chief Gaurav Shamsher J.B.R. of Nepal Army is married  with Indian lady. Many Nepali leaders  actively supported Indian people in Indian freedom fight from Colonial British power. Notable personnel included late prime ministers of Nepal like Manmohan Adhikary, B. P. Koirala, M.P. Koirala, G. P. Koirala and Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. Many were martyred during struggle including Durga Malla whose statue is now in Indian Parliament premise since 2004.They were doing this time in the hope that free India will give Nepal a chance to prosper together with India. Nepal at that time was under the cruel one family grip of Rana dynasty. However, it is sorry to say that regarding Indo-Nepal relationships, India has been trying to carry the colonial British mentality in treating Nepal. Nepali people are serving in Indian armed services saving Indian frontiers from external enemy and maintaining law and order in the times of  internal problems. As  a token of friendship Nepal has always offered its citizen to serve in Indian armed forces. No other country can give such privilege. Though there is 1950  friendship treaty, there is less friendship but more enmity towards Nepal based on the different historical facts (Nepal has raised the scrapping their treaty from time to time but India has delayed this). Some specific facts are  

1. There are several border encroachments (about 60 points like Susta in Nawalparasi) and army camp in Kalapani area since 1962. There is no fixed boundary between India and Nepal. There is no border dispute between China and Nepal.
2. India deceived Nepal in Koshi and Gandaki river project. It controlled the dams in Nepalese territory and released excess water in rainy season while took away more water in dry season for the irrigation in India. These are the visible pains to Nepal.
3. It does not help as expected in Nepali development in one sectors while obstruct other foreign helps in the fear that  it will lose influence. Even such help is short nearsightedness with immediate return calculation.
4. It is preparing fake Lumbini in India to fool whole world that Buddha was born in India not in Nepal.
5. As there is free open border between India and Nepal many criminals can mis-utilize this.India accuses Nepal of harboring terrorists. When Nepal asked to regulate border or make fence or use passport system it systematically refuses it. This is because Nepal, though small to India, has also lot of opportunities. India wants its people to get benefits from Nepalese employment opportunities. In long run these people want to settle in Nepal and when succeeds ask citizenship and finally all political benefits. Even there is conspiracy theory that in longer run through this population dynamics India wants  to annex  Nepal into India.
6. Nepal has no access to sea and nearest port is Kolkata in India.There is international understanding that there must be easy access to sea to all landlocked countries. But in 1988 about 18 months blockade was carried out by India. Reason was simple. Nepal bought some necessary weapons from China. 
7. Recently Prof S.D Muni, who has good connection with Indian government, has exposed the deceiving role India has played by supporting the armed conflict in Nepal since 2002 by sheltering the top brass of Maoist leaders like Baburam Bhattarai and Prachanda. He is also the mentor of  Baburam Bhattarai while he was student in Jawaharlal University, India.  India provided arms and training to them in one hand through its intelligence unit RAW and IB while on the other hand gave ammunition to Nepal army thereby flaring the conflict. It was surprising act to support the group she labelled terrorist officially. More than 15,000 people were killed during this decade long conflict (1996-2006). The country was pushed back for several decades and hard earned infrastructures were demolished and destroyed. Book entitled “Nepal in Transition: From People’s War to Fragile Peace", has shown the dubious and heinous role India has played toward friendly neighbor Nepal. Nepalese people are still working in Indian armed forces including Gurkha battalions saving her frontiers while India was unleashing terror in Nepal. What a surprising gift India offered Nepal for  loyal service. It is irony of Nepal that both Baburam Bhattarai and Prachanda have become prime ministers of Nepal. Many in Nepal viewed removal of monarchy from Nepal was evil design of India with corrupt Nepali politicians. Monarchy was bastion for the integrity and national sovereignty and removal of it was easy way to meddle in the all lives of Nepali society. It is to be noted that annexation of Sikkim in 1975 was done after the removal of King by Indian grand design. It is written very nicely by Sukunda Dutta Roy in his book  Smash and Grab, Annexation of Sikkim. The book is banned in India. Many people in Nepal have experienced the excess of Indian interference after the downfall of monarchy and rise of Maoist in power. It is to be noted that there was no plebiscite for the declaration of republic or making Nepal federal or secular country.

Exposed  Indian hegemony 

Because of these above mentioned facts, small countries neighboring India who pride in national independence and dignity in the international arena are suspicious of India. Nepal has been shattered by mischievous India for its role in political change and support for armed conflict. It cannot pinpoint hand towards Pakistan for supporting terrorism as her own hands are full with bloods of Srilankan and Nepalese innocent people. People feared that India has ushered its policy of Bhutanization and then Sikkimization ti her neighbors. But it will backfired in this era of modernization, globalization and patriotic people of these nations.  Though there might be good relation between ruling (puppet !?)  leaders,  people of these countries, simply hate India for her mischievous activities. This should not be taken as hating Indian people. Indian people are friendly and are with big heart. Indian food, cinema are popular among them. It is because of  the ruling Indian class and excesses of security personnel's in the border that is still counting the shame in the international arena.

Next blogs will talk about the role India has to play for the  concept of TOGETHER WE PROSPER. We will discuss how Indian people can come hand in hand in this noble cause.