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Frequent contacts at political level could help to sort out the misunderstandings between the two close neighbors

By KESHAB POUDEL

In the last five decades, genuine efforts were made only in a few occasions to sort out the differences at the political level between Nepal and India although the two neighbors experienced frequent eruptions of confusion and tension.

Although Nepal and India – which share more than 1,700 kilometer long open border – are not divided by high mountains or sea, the interactions at political level are rare. Most of the visits take place at the formal level – which cannot achieve more than official business.

The recent health trip to India by Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala had also raised suspicions and eyebrows among a group of intelligentsia in Kathmandu. However, the former prime minister’s meeting with Indian prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, external affairs minister Natwar Singh, leader of ruling party Sonia Gandhi, leader of opposition Atal Behari Vajpayee and former prime minister Chandra Shekhar had renewed the interactions at the political level.

“My only purpose to visit India was health check-up. At the meeting with Indian leaders, I conveyed the message of goodwill of Nepalese people,” said Koirala at Tribhuwan International Airport, upon his return. “I discussed with Indian leaders matters relating to the present situation.”

There are reasons to suspect Koirala’s visit but this kind of meeting at political level is always in favor of Nepalese interest rather than the meetings at the bureaucratic level.

“Due to rare contacts between Nepalese politicians and Indian leaders, Indian bureaucrats, secret agencies and security institutions determine and shape the kind of relations with Nepal,” said an analyst.

It is definite that closer the neighbors, more complicated are their relations. Politicians of both the countries understand the problems and aspirations of their people better than the bureaucrats, who neither have to face any election nor are they accountable to the people.

With the installment of the new government in India, political leaders have started to discuss the matters among themselves. A month ago when the Indian external affairs minister Natwar Singh visited Nepal, he met with almost all the political leaders and even visited Congress leader Koirala’s residence.

If the relation is based upon equality, there will be no problem. The relations should not be defined on the basis of somebody being superior and somebody being inferior. The suspicion of some Nepalese intellectuals over the visit of Koirala is understandable but the importance given to Nepal by Indian leaders is also equally important and should be viewed in proper light.

“Koirala’s past record shows that he does no good by visiting India. This time, too, we cannot expect anything from him,” said an intellectual close to Palace.

The suspicion of the intellectuals could be justified in the background of past experiences. People may have different opinions regarding Koirala’s meeting with Indian leaders but one of the positive aspects of the meeting was that it provided an opportunity to ventilate the grievances of Nepalese people to the Indian leaders. The good gesture shown by Indian political leaders must be welcomed in this regard.

Not only Koirala, another Congress leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, RPP leaders and former prime ministers Lokendra Bahadur Chand and Surya Bahadur Thapa have also taken similar initiatives.

Likewise, former prime minister Kirtinidhi Bista has been taking initiative to improve people to people contact making personal visits to Nepal’s northern neighbor China.

“If a person wants to commit anti-national work, he does not have to go foreign land. Instead, he can do it living within his own country,” said an analyst.

The United States and the United Kingdom are divided by long Atlantic sea but it does not hinder their political leaders to visit each other frequently. British prime minister often pays official visits to the Washington.

Since Nepal and India do not have any barrier like sea and mountains, the leaders of two countries can maintain the good relations and contact at the political levels in a fairly frequent manner. Unlike bureaucrats, politicians can understand the reality and the problems.

“At a time when many politicians here queue up to visit the junior staffers at the Embassy, Koirala’s visit to New Delhi to meet with the Indian prime minister and other top leaders is much more important,” said an analyst. “If octogenarian former prime minister Koirala used the meeting to present the case of Nepal and Nepalese, then everybody should be happy.”

Whether one likes it or not, frequent contacts between the political leaders of both the countries is necessary to settle the complicated relations between the two South Asian neighbors.