National 1 (Spotlight Weekly)

Gesture of Goodwill

Prime Minister Deuba’s forthcoming visit will help to renew the contact at political level

By A CORRESPONDENT

As the date of prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s visit to India approached, the debate raged about whether this was appropriate time for him to visit New Delhi. There are arguments over what would be the limitations of Deuba’s forthcoming visit to India.

Former foreign ministers and intellectuals also questioned the agenda of the visit and argued that the prime minister needs to discuss his agenda with political parties before taking up the issue with the Indian officials.

From Nepali Congress leader to RPP leaders and leaders of major partners in the government, all have said that Deuba limit his visit as a goodwill one.

PM Deuba : Hard times

At a time when Nepal’s relations with India is gradually diminishing at the political level with the bureaucrats of India determining policy towards Nepal, Deuba’s visit will renew the relations with Indian politicians who can better understand the reality between Nepal and India.

Deuba’s talk with Indian political leaders will have certain significance. “If Deuba is able to convey the message of goodwill of Nepalese people to Indian politician, it will help a lot,” said a political observer.

“This government does not have any mandate of the people and it should not sign any agreements with India that have long term implications,” said foreign minister Chakra Prasad Bastola. “The timing of his visit is wrong. If he cannot postpone his visit, prime minister Deuba must limit this visit as a goodwill visit.”

Just a week before prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s India visit, the country was engulfed in an unprecedented mysterious turmoil and the citizens of this Himalayan Kingdom are yet to get over the trauma.

According to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, prime minister Deuba will discuss on water resources, economic issues, Maoist problems and security matters. “He will discuss the matters related to the support of India in tackling the Maoist problem,” said Dr. Mahat.

“Had the government done its homework before visiting India, the visit would have been much fruitful and beneficial to Nepal,” said former foreign minister and RPP leader Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani. “If Deuba received consensus from all other political parties, his position would be much stronger.

One of the senior leaders of the ruling coalition has suggested that Deuba refrain from signing any agreement with India. “Rather, Deuba should focus his attention on how to make the goodwill visit more successful,” said CPN-UML leader K.P. Sharma Oli. “Our party will not take any responsibility if Deuba signs any agreement.”

Ruling party leaders, however, are confident that the forthcoming visit to India by prime minister Deuba will bring the positive result in solving the Maoist problem. “This is not a time to raise suspicion over the visit of Deuba to India. Being a close neighbor with centuries old ties, India remains Nepal’s dependable neighbor. Prime minister Deuba’s visit will help to strengthen the relations between the two countries,” they opine.

With the installation of the BJP government six years back, no Indian prime minister visited Nepal. During the same period Nepalese prime ministers Girija Prasad Koirala, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Surya Bahadur Thapa visited India. Former Indian prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee came to Nepal in 2002 but only to attend the SAARC Summit.

Whatever the fallout of prime minister Deuba’s visit to India, the renewal of relations at the political level is going to be a positive outcome.