National 2 (Spotlight Weekly)

Deepening Trouble

Recent detention of the UML leader Ishwor Pokharel by Indian security personnel could harm the Nepal-India relations

By A CORRESSPONDENT

Just two days after an interview of Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha to Nepal Television where he said that India wants to maintain good neighborly relations with its northern neighbor Nepal and support every move to restore the normalcy, the action of Indian police against UML leader Pokharel has raised many questions.

Following the interrogation of Pokharel - one of the powerful members of Nepal’s largest party CPN UML, by Indian Police at Indira Gandhi International Airport on December 29, 2003, UML leaders demanded apology from Indian government for violating international norms.

“Indian government has to regret its action against one of the responsible leader of our party,” said Jhal Nath Khanal, at a hasty press conference organized at the CPN-UML party premises on December 31.

Next day a group of students affiliated to the UML burnt an effigy of Indian prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. In reply, Indian Embassy issued a statement denouncing students’ act and demanded actions against those involved in such vandalism.

Although UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said his party did not have such programs, president of UML’s student wing Rajendra Rai revealed that they did it to protest Indian hegemony.

Soon after his arrival from India, UML politburo member Pokharel, whose children also study in school in India, disclosed that he was detained for 14 hours in the Indian capital New Delhi by Indian security forces who interrogated whether he had had any meetings with Maoist leaders on 26 December 2003.

Countering the charges of Indian officials who claim that India would cooperate with Nepal in controlling the Maoists, Pokharel said it is merely a rhetoric.

“Indian rulers hold different cards in their hands to fulfill their interest and their speech about values, principles and norms are merely a formal rhetoric. It is now open secret that Indians are supporting and backing the Nepalese Maoists. India is now backing global opinion against terrorism as well as supporting the terrorism and anarchist acts in Nepal,” writes Ishwor Pokharel, in his article in Kantipur (January 4,2004). “Carrying this double standard in mind, Indian officials are violating international diplomatic norms saying that they cannot locate the place where the Maoist are taking shelter.”

Pokharel in his article also wrote about the humiliating behavior shown by Indian police while he was taken into custody.

After the Lucknow meeting of Nepal and Maoist leaders, Indian officials did not say anything for the first few days. After wide media coverage, the event placed India, which claims to be an active partner in the global war against terrorism, and after facing diplomatic awkwardness in international arena, Indian external affairs minister Sinha expressed how they were embarrassed by the meeting in Indian soil.

“By interrogating Pokharel for 14 hours in New Delhi, India has tried to show the international community that it is sincere at curbing Nepal’s terrorism as well as portray Nepal as a country that blames India whether it takes or does not take any action,” said a foreign relations expert. “Whatever the motives of Indian establishment in interrogating Pokharel, it has damaged its image in Nepal.”

In his article, Pokharel also disclosed how the Indian security officers, among others, asked him questions on why CPN-UML did not support the Maoist demand of Constituent Assembly. Many Nepalese lawyers who studied in Indian universities are shocked to know how question of constituent assembly would become a matter of criminal investigation.

“This is a double standard of Indian government since they are allowing Maoists to take shelter in India and interrogating me to show their sincerity against the cause of terrorism,” said Ishwor Pokharel, addressing a press conference on December 31.

Experts argue that the drama performed by Indian security forces is against the interest of Nepal and India. “In whatever circumstances he was interrogated and based on whosoever’s backing Pokharel disclosed the incident, such act will only irritate people to people as well as political relations between the two countries. Who benefited from the India’s drama? This is an artless and tactless drama,” said a foreign analyst.

The recent handling of state-to-state affairs between Nepal and India is harming the long-term interest of both the countries. The expertise secured by the Nepalese extremists on terrorism will ultimately have the boomerang effect on India. Sooner the Nepalese officials are able to convince this to Indian officials, better it will be for both.

Nepal’s stability and independence will guarantee Indian security and safeguard Indian interests. If a country like Nepal with such a diverse ethnicity is subjected to a bloody turmoil, it will have spill-over effect on India. The time has come now for the policy makers in both the sides to sincerely understand each other’s vulnerability and strength.