India – Nepal relations at crossroad

India-Nepal relationship has been going downhill for sometime now and today we can’t say that India and Nepal are good friends. Their relationship at best can be said its friendship with deep suspicion. Both India and Nepal are to blame for such unease in the relationship.  

India had two main bakers in Nepali establishment - Nepali Royal Shah family and “Nepali Congress” party. Sadly, India has undermined both and this has costed India a lot in Nepal. India had helped Nepali Royal Shah family gain the real power from their Prime Minster “Rana dynasty” in early 50s. Apart from Govt. to Govt. relationship, Nepali Royal family enjoyed a considerable clout in parts of Bihar and UP and vice versa). E.g.- Gorakhnath Math (UP CM is current head of the Math) has centuries old relationship with Shah family and Mahant Avaidyanath (Yogi Adityanth's prdecessor) was like a royal priest of King Birendra. But India undermined the authority of Nepali royal family by imposing a year-long blockade of Nepal in 1989–90. The official reason was that India wanted democracy & free trade agreement with Nepal but some people still allege that the main reason of blockade was that - Sonia Gandhi (wife of then PM Rajiv Gandhi) was denied entry into Pashupatinath Temple because she was not Hindu. The priests refused request from then Nepali King Birendra to allow a non-Hindu entry into temple. Some sort of constitutional monarchy was established after the blockade and this resulted into weakened Monarchy.

India has historical relationship with Nepali Congress. Nepali Congress. In fact Nepali Congress was formed in India and India have always supported them & vice versa (despite some occasional tensions). UPA Government in 2005 played a role in ending the civil war (between Maoists and Govt.) and 12-Point Understanding between the Seven Political Parties and Nepal Communist Party (Maoists). That time UPA was supported by Indian communist parties and CPM leader Prakash Karat had friendly relationship with Maoist leader Prachanda. India gave too much space to Maoists and Communist Party (which they obviously didn't deserve). Later in 2008 the monarchy was abolished. Communists got credit of abolishing Monarchy. This weakened Nepali Congress. Had India given larger space to Nepali Congress at that time, things would have been different.

We all talk about Chinese ambassador Hou Yangi's influence over Nepali politics but we forget that she has spent a considerable time in embassy in Pakistan also. It is believed that she is fluent in Urdu language. So, we should look her action not from Chinese prospective but also from Pakistani angle as well. It is widely known that how Chinese ambassador is interfering in politics of Nepal and she is the main reason or Oli continuing as PM of Nepal. China is investing billions of USD in Nepal and I fear that Nepal may go Sir Lanka and Pakistan way when the loan repayment period will come.

Nepal's PM K P Shamra Oli thinks that he will get political mileage by attacking India. His position in Communist party is weak and the only way for him to survive is to bank on anti-India sentiments. And it is well know that Oli has backing of China in attacking India. Sometimes, he refers Corona virus as Indian virus and sometimes he accuses India of weakening his Govt. He has included part of India (Kalapani area) in map of Nepal and has vowed to take back Kalapani from India. we can understand this but his latest statement regarding Ayodhya and Lord Ram is very puzzling.

Nepal and India both are Hindu majority countries and Lord Ram has special place in Hinduism. Now PM Oli is claiming that Ayodhya is in Nepal and Lord ram is a Nepali not Indian. PM Oli has also accused India of cultural encroachment by "creating a fake Ayodhya. As a Hindu Indian, I strongly condemn this statement. Lord Ram is neither Indian nor Nepali but he is for all humanity. You can't restrict a God to a region. After all Oli is a lifelong communist and communists don't believe in God. So why suddenly Nepali communists are showing love for lord Ram? The answer is simple. PM Oli wants to attack India on whatever issue he can attack and win the support of devoted Hindus.

Till now, Oli's fight was with Indian establishment but now he has picked up a fight with common Indians. We should also remember that India and Nepal has Roti-Beti (Bread and Butter) relationship. I come from North Bihar and I know many families who has marriage relationship with Nepali citizens. Till recently, Nepal was never considered a different country by residents of North Bihar and Eastern UP. The culture, language, customs are same along both side of border. You can’t differentiate between a Madhesi or a resident of Mahbubani or Darbhanga. But such statements will create a rift between people of both countries and will certainly damage India-Nepal relationship. It was local people of Bihar and UP which had helped Nepal during 1989-90 blockage by defying orders of Indian Govt.

Nepali Communists are on the way to destroy centuries old cordial relationship between India and Nepal. They think that they can replace India with China. They should look long term prospective of Nepal rather concentrating on short term gains. You can’t separate India and Nepal. Millions of Nepalis live, work and study in India. This is very deep relationship and I hope Nepali Govt. will refrain from destroying this relationship further.