India raises UTL unpaid Royalty issue, meets Nepal Army Chief, but why?

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on April 25, 2011

 

Rate This

Indian Military personnel be allowed to guard Nepal’s northern frontier with China, Nepal should be under India’s Security Umbrella, stationing of Indian Air Marshals at Tribhuwan International Airport, presence of Indian military officials at each and every districts of Nepal in the name Ex-Gurkha pension Camps and now a strange Indian proposal has come which is to permit India deploying its security machinery to guard embassy premises and their officials.

India- the self declared honest friend is apparently hell bent on destroying whatever image of Nepal remains in the comity of nations as a nation-state.

At a time when third country nationals feel more and more unsafe in the streets of Kathmandu due to frequently happening broad day light firing incidents with fatal casualties carried out by Indian state nurtured criminals who enter Nepal through the open border, Indian foreign minister S.M. Krishna claimed at the bilateral meeting held in Hotel Yak and Yeti upon his arrival that Nepal should allow his country to take care of its citizens in Nepal because they feel unsafe in Nepal.

Arm twisting of the highest order.

Krishna was right in what he said, “Either we need to be assured that we are safe, if not we should be allowed to take care of our officials.”

If Nepal allowed this facility to India then the next moment countries like China, Pakistan, France, Germany, United States of America and Israel and many others will follow suit and demand the same from Nepal.

So how Nepal will cope with such an eventuality? Can Nepal deny? Certainly not.

Absurd demand that it is.

The best way will be to wind up its Nepal mission and close the border and remain secured.

“Wherever our Ambassador goes, he is shown Black Flags, shoes are hurled at him…where is the security”, asked Krishna at the meeting writes Nagarik Daily. “What about his erratic activities”, ask observers.

Krishna must understand the fact that why the Ambassadors of other friendly countries do not receive similar treatments?

This is self explanatory. India needs to begin soul searching prior to making such erratic demands.

“Our embassy officials are not safe, anything may happen to them anytime”, said the Indian Foreign Minister within days after one of the Pakistan Embassy officials was critically injured in a broad day light firing carried out by Indian criminals in Kathmandu. Who is safe in Nepal save the Indian embassy staffers? Not even the Nepalese nationals.

On the second day of his stay in Nepal, Krishna-the foreign minister met with various nepali leaders at Hotel Drawika’s in Baneshwor Kathmandu.

Ex-Prime Ministers and top leaders of Nepal were all blessed by the visiting Indian deity.

Krishna has already met with the leaders of Madhesi parties.

The Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, ex-Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, top UML leader K.P. Oli had all come at the Hotel.

With Oli Krishna talked over an hour.

This has meaning…isn’t it?

Thanks Oli is not in New Delhi this time for treatment to his Kidney ailments. May be he will make a sudden dash there soon.

Much more interesting was an informal/secret meeting between Nepal Army Chief Chhatra Man Singh Gurung with the Indian delegation that lasted for over 50 minutes. The CoAS had arrived at the Hotel in a private vehicle, in informal attire and without security guards. Gurung later quietly sneaked out of the Hotel.

“There was no such agenda of the meeting, it was just a meeting over tea and coffee”, says Ramindra Chhetri- spokesperson of the Nepal Army in an unconvincing response to Annapurna Post.

If the agenda was not that important then what prompted Gurung to rush to see the Indian minister in secret? On the contrary to what Chhetri said, Annapurna post claims that Gurung held talks over the issues of integration, peace and constitutional processes.

“Since Nepal’s CoAS is the honorary general of the Indian Army as well thus the meeting is not that unnatural”, also said Chhetri.

But, why Gurung preferred not to be escorted by his official security guards? This is mysterious.

Nepal Army Chief “unofficial” meet with Minister Krishna is of immense significance and loaded with meaning because this meet has come close on the heels of the fresh return of Nepal Army Chief from US trip and prior to that he had greeted the Chinese PLA Chief, Chen Bingde.

Intelligent brains prefer to connect all these events with Minister Krishna’s talks.

Nepal Army Chief is modestly advised to clarify his position in this regard.

The general population would love to listen from him his convincing response.

And, finally Krishna during his meeting with the members of Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, according to Nayapatrika Daily, raised the issue of unpaid royalty by UTL- the Indian Joint Venture Telecom Company.

This was your prime objective, isn’t it Minister Krishna?

Chairperson of the Chamber, Mr. Sanjeev Keshvan told Nayapatrika that he was requested by the Indian FM to take some initiatives on his own to write-off the due amount worth Rs. 900 Million UTL is to pay as royalty to Nepal government.

Krishna’s inner intent stand exposed now.

Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is scheduled to meet the Indian delegation led by Mr. Krishna today. Krishna will return to Delhi today.

@Telegraph Nepal