 |
Kathmandu Saturday September 09, 2000 Bhadra 24, 2057.
|
Dialectic of Indo-Nepal relations
This is in reference to the article by Dr Prakash C Lohani
dated
August 28, 2000.
The "Letter from the South" hits the nail on the
head. However, it ignores the fact that for both the Nepali Congress and the Indian media
pro-Nepal is anti-Indian. Nepali nationalism is a threat to those who want to subvert it.
Hence the continuous vilification of the symbol of Nepal. Further, my experience with
Nepali intellectuals makes me believe that they cannot even distinguish the actual
difference between the two terms. So the effort by Dr Lohani to distinguish the terms
'pro-Nepal' and 'anti India' is falling on the deaf ears.
Secondly, Indians are fully aware of the differences of
interests between Nepal and India. This is not at all an issue, as the willingness to
examine the differences does not exist. So recommending something that is willingly and
purposely ignored is not going to be of any help. The dialectic of Indo-Nepal relationship
is based on the fact that from time to time Nepal has attempted to liberate itself
completely from the pit-hole of the colonial, Sugauli Treaty. And whenever Nepal tries to
crawl out of the pit-hole of Sugauli, India has tried to kick Nepal back into the colonial
pit-hole. This is the real issue. This is the actual geopolitical, realpolitik, mutually
beneficial coexistence is just hypocritical rhetoric.
At the current phase of history, Nepal has fallen down a
number of notches in the historical pit-hole. Hence the zone of peace, trade
diversification, work permit, etc enhancing Nepali nationalism, have been ignored not by
the "Brown Sahebs", but by the "Mir Jaffars" and "Lendup
Dorjees" in the Nepali Parliament. Has Dr Lohani any recommendations for this
ailment?
R R Mishra
Lalitpur |
