Dipin DamodharanEarly this month, after 17 endeavors to name a prime minister, Nepal, the Himalayan nation, has selected P Jhalnath Khanal for the post. This has put an end to the political impasse in the old Hindu nation.
But things are not looking to be good for India. After a gap, again a Maoist backed- government got a hold on this culturally affluent land and obviously this happens to be an annoyance for India.
Though there exists some kind of anti-India feeling in Nepal, the present startling revelation that China plays hard to form an anti-India government in Nepal, positions the picture clear.
According to a recently released 12-minute tape, a Chinese official offers $6.9 million to bribe 50 Nepali legislators for help in forming a Maoist-led government that would favor China over India.
The Maoist axis – China and now Nepal- try to put India in the corner.
Actually Nepal has been deeply influenced by India. Four million Nepalese (Nepal citizens) labor in India. Both countries have common traditions and cultural legacy to share. But the deadly Maoist movement under the Chinese guidance has made the Indo-Nepal relations so weak. The Maoist never intended to make friendly ties with India.
China spreading its tentacles in Nepal
Nepal is receiving unlimited financial aid from China. Beijing is building a $1.9-billion railroad from the city of Lhasa to the Tibet-Nepal border that may eventually reach Katmandu. Chinese trade, abet and infrastructure projects are pouring in.
Nepali politicians used to make frequent journeys to Beijing. Also China funds Nepali police training, border control, roads, even garbage trucks.
It is also intriguing to note that how Nepal is treating the Tibetan refugees. The total number of Tibetans in Nepal is about 20,000. Following the turmoil spread across the Tibetan upland in March 2008, Nepal’s Tibet policy has been aimed at winning China’s clap.
The number of Tibetan expatriates passage into Nepal from China after 2008 climbs down about 500 annually from 3,000 a year. The reason is simple; China provided money to Nepal, ultra modern weapons to Nepali Maoists…According to WikiLeaks, China even paid rewards to Nepali border guards who handed over Tibetans to China.
The latest move is that China has also installed its communication network, telecommunication equipment company Huawei Technologies, in the entire country.
This would help the fire spitting dragon to have the data of telephonic conversations of all key officers, political leaders and corporate houses in Nepal. Sources in Nepal reveal that all the significant incoming calls from India and outgoing calls from Nepal would be filtered by China. This will help China to make their moves against India stronger and stronger.
The Political equations
Unified Communist Party of Nepal Maoist (UCPN), the Nepali Congress, and the Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) are considered as the major political parties in Nepal. The Maoist party is the largest party and is projected as pro China. The Nepali congress party is considered pro India and the United Marxist Leninist party is considered nonaligned.
The Indian policy was to hold up an alliance of the Nepali congress with the United Marxist Leninist party so that Maoist leader Parchanda, does not become the Prime Minister.
Conversely, Parchanda curved the tables on India and built an alliance with the UML by offering them the Prime Ministership. And On 3 February 2011, after seven months of political jam in which no candidate could gather enough votes to be elected as Prime Minister, Jhalnath Khanal of UML was elected as Prime Minister with the support of Maoist.
This happened to be a set back for the Nepali Congress as well for India’s Nepal policy.
Write to Dipin at dipinbharath@gmail.com
@Groundreport
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