India via Nepal: Viceroy of South Asia Instability (2/2)
A peek into the pattern and workings of man who faked his way to the top for very long in Nepal
If you landed here and haven’t read Part I of the series please read for clearer understanding.
If there was any malaise in India making inroads it wouldn’t take the form of BBIN connecting friendly Bhutan-Bangladesh-India-Nepal, instead leaving borders as is; open porous for more mischiefs, but that’s not the case. That’s no infiltration but open designated road for exchanges, interlinks with better connectivity. Wonder what other Gaijatre mukut the author plans on hiding his face with when power sharing, railways, waterways and port sharing finally comes to fruition.
To turn a blind eye to everything happening and call it a malaise is unfounded. The author should just take off his neutral journalist vile and several other masks (Colloquial Nepali: Gaijatre Mukut) in his wardrobe and that are all falling off one by one. It’s one thing to be a politician and call out adversaries to shore up supporters, but very different to be a private citizen and misrepresent South Asia. This, at a time when India recently has had unanimous support of all Asia Pacific countries in the security council and currently on the Chair of Counter-Terrorism Committee whole heartedly supported by Nepali friends in the Middle East. Dignitaries across the world are getting a first-hand experience at multiple conferences in G-20 summit across the lxb of India. Will leave the call to drop his mukuts to his wise judgement and hope he does so without faking another sickness.
Subdued Anti-India Sentiments Now: The reason
The once high pitched manufactured anti-India sentiment subsided in Nepal after leaders of the pack were exposed of their true motives in front of their own home audience. He goes further and takes it out on the political parties using a generic paintbrush and says that political parties across have been compromised. In other words, this manufactured Voice of South Asia, mover and shaker of Nepal is now a persona non-grata in his own country. However, the author clings on to the last imaginary straw remarking that there are still meŕe murmurs(Colloquial Nepali: My own inner voice) and uneasiness spread in the populace. This, in the days of Social media. And to stay true to his east nepal networking flair, he will continue to shift his miniscule weight around other camps who were just caught making fake citizenship.
Needless to say, his jibes on 2015 border debacle is his mainstay that he props up in all his post 2014 anti-India writeups conveniently forgetting 1989 blockade by congress PM Late Rajiv Ghandy. This after GoI made repeated effort to convey that it was happening on the Nepal side and that trucks were ready with goods on the Indian side of the border waiting for arsons to stop. Again, massive border politics training their guns against Modi this time surrounded on all sides east and south that included, West Bengal, Bihar and even Uttar Pradesh under then Samajwadi leader(Gujral & JP Narayan’s offshoot in name only) Akhilesh Yadav all in anti-Modi camp. Heck, they even tried to shoot the man during his election rally in 2013 in Patna. The blockade was manufactured when Modi started rolling out Neighborhood First Foreign Policy after provenance by being first responders during earthquake, hours critical and precious in saving lives. A fodder ready for his adversaries to feed narratives of an unsuccessful Modi in his first foreign policy which was played to the hilt, after 8 years it is still somberly playing in a chamber with the author alone. South Asia watchers have since been paying close attention pre and post elections broadening their area of observation to both sides of the border. The majority that the author claims to represent in Nepal have been rehabilitated now. So there you have it, reasons for subdued anti-India sentiments inside Nepal now.
The poor south of the border in Bihar and West Bengal
Author rightly points out poorer population residing in adjoining villages of east and south east Nepal border but forgets to the mention that he and his extended family have been on the payroll of the ruling and business class of those states paying for his bread & butter and all other iterations. They allegedly diverted development funds meant for the poor. The matter is currently under investigation by intelligence agencies; Indian, Nepali and foreign. Also, these are ruled by Modi’s adversaries. What surprises us is that the author is completely mute on atrocities in WB, Bihar but jumps up in ecstasy the moment his adversary Yogi ruled state has minor aberrations. Is he etching his mark in subservience and being a pliable servant to Nitish Kumar and Mumta Banerjee? What is the deal here?
A glorified BP who was once Nehru and Indira’s stooge was also a plane hijacker—a terrorist today. The author has him as his political yardstick and sizes up contemporaries in Nepal by the same length. At this point we’re not sure which imaginary benchmark South Asian observers should be on the look out for. Should PK Dahal break out of Delhi’s toilet to prove that it’s a downfall or what?
Again, no proof of belittling or exerting pressure in Kathmandu or outside but only a bunch of insinuations. Situation in Madhes1 can be best described by the Piñata analogy with onlookers expecting candies but disheartened after finding a bunch of packaging shredded papers. Also, > ~52% of Nepal reside in Madhesh, of that over 70% reside in areas adjoining WB and Bihar where the author makes no mention which are again non-Modi, or in author’s language, non-Delhi centric rule. Perhaps, he can help bridge the gap?
His remarks on Nepal’s unease is simply a self unease and a timed piece before PM Dahal’s visit to India showing his loyalty and subservience to his masters in India who are mostly convicted or in hiding. Services going into generations, he’s neck deep and is looking for signs to get out of the mess. Again, of his own making. He begins connecting Nepal’s waters to geo-political autonomy often used as a tug-of-war. Nepalis are sick and tired of the imbecile water boys not able to supply drinking water to Kathmandu. The water boys who mostly studied water peace and now reside atop ancient water faucets in Kathmandu.
With EPG sidelined the author vents his anger blaming Delhi’s public outreach to the newer crop and younger generation to add vitality to the relationship with long term in mind, with following remarks:
“Lately, South Block has taken to patronising individuals and organisations that do not have weightage, or even name recognition, in Kathmandu.”
He immediately follows up with:
“Constantly, there are attempts to infiltrate and impact the Nepali psyche, from bankrolling the start-up of an English daily of Kathmandu as ‘soft power projection’ to ensuring the growth of pliable think tanks that talk up New Delhi’s positions.”
Inadvertently emphasizing the intent of New Delhi. They are now rearing up young minds, discarding the old, greedy, LPGs, in line with current Nepali sentiments.
To sign off, the author suggests recall of the operatives or he may simply pleading to get off his back and leave him alone. He further adds d2d, p2p as solutions to operatives after labeling politicians pliable. What an anti-climax! That’s all we can say.
Wonder how this man was able to trick his way through to emissaries table, entrusted him with Nepal’s history, literature, managing Sajha, calling shots on Pragya Pratisthan and several other important positions of a nation.
Situations are finally on the verge of a turnaround after young crop of leaders are taking up the mantle and making proper demands for madhes. There’s plenty of work to be done but there are early good signs that looks good for the whole of terai.
Hi, great to see content coming out of Nepal here!
Might be in Kathmandu next week or so, depending on where the geopolitical games moves us all along :-)