Former Indian Foreign Minister: “We Are Very Concerned With the Situation in Nepal”

Yashwant Sinha

This article was published in eKantipur on January 13, 2010.

India’s Interest in Nepal

Yashwant Sinha

The views of the Indian political parties converge in the protection of our national interests. But in details, there might be some differences. Nepal is the closest neighbour of India. We have a long relation of friendship and cultural affinity. India is interested in having the best possible cordial relationship with Nepal. To an extent, our strategic interests are also involved because we have an open border and there is a lot of interaction at the informal level. A large number of Nepalis work in India.

India’s interest, in this light, lies in a sovereign, friendly, peaceful and stable Nepal. India has protected and preserved its democracy through trials and tribulations and therefore we are committed to democracy in our country and elsewhere. We are committed to democracy in Nepal also; what form of democracy is for the people of Nepal to decide.

There was a great deal of misunderstanding in Nepal that the BJP was supporting the monarchy which was far from the truth because we have always said that whether Nepal will have monarchy or not is for Nepal to decide, for the representatives of Constituent Assembly (CA) to decide. In fact, I was the foreign minister when the question of the postponement of October, 2002 elections in Nepal came up. I remember telling then-Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba that postponement will do no good. I gave him examples of how we planned the elections in Jammu and Kashmir and in a disturbed Assam. I said it is possible to extend the elections over a period of time.

Maoists Call Off Bandh in Respect for Tharu Customs

This article was published on Nepal News.

Maoists hastily withdraw Terai bandh

Unified CPN (Maoist) has on Thursday unceremoniously called off the bandh it enforced in different Terai districts in protest of the recent killings of their cadres in Bara. The party said it took the decision keeping in view the Manghe Sankranti festivals that is being celebrated across the country on Friday.  Maghe Sankranti is one of the biggest festival that is celebrated in the Terai by mainly the ethnic Tharu community of the region.

Like in all bandhs, transportation had been obstructed, and markets, educational institutions, factories and some offices in the districts had remained closed since early morning in various Terai districts. Saptari, Parsa and Chitwan districts were less affected by the bandh with some vehicles plying on the road and markets open.

Maoist cadres had also staged demonstrations in some places including Kapilvastu district headquarter Taulihawa early today. They  demanded action against those involved in the killings and an assurance of security.

Meanwhile, the local administration of Bara has agreed to provide Rs 150,000 as compensation and Rs 5000 as cost for final rituals to the family of Maoist leader Rajesh Mandal – murdered Tuesday night, and recommend to the government to declare him a martyr.  Following the agreement, Bhojpura Rajya Samiti of the UCPN (Maoist) had agreed to end the indefinite Parsa bandh it had called since Wednesday morning.

Maoists Symbolically Burn Nepal-India Treaties

This article was published on Nepal News.

Maoists burn copies of Nepal-India treaty

Unified CPN (Maoist), agitating, has burnt copies of some Nepal-India treaties they term unequal including the Sugauli Treaty, 1950 Treaty and the Mahakali treaty in Kathmandu and other parts of the country, Thursday.

The Maoists, who have said they would focus their fourth phase agitation after they stepped down from the government in May following a controversy over sacking erstwhile Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Rookmangud Katawal in national sovereignty, burnt copies of such treaties saying the treaties are against the welfare of Nepal and Nepalis.

The Maoists had organised a function at Ratnapark in Kathmandu to burn treaties at about 4.30 pm, this afternoon.Earlier, Maoist leaders had visited various places on the Indo-Nepal border they considered encroached and addressed mass assemblies there. The Maoists have burnt the treaties one-day before Indian foreign minister SM Krishna is visiting Nepal.