N. P. Upadhyaya, Kathmandu: The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) continues to be a matter of intense debate among the ruling party parliamentarians.

However, a Nepali Congress’s economic brain Dr. Ram, Saran Mahat claims that “let’s concentrate on the economic component” of the MCC as this module shall do miracles in achieving development goals set by the country”.

He made these observations while talking to a local Television Wednesday, December 25/19 evening in Kathmandu.

He was being interviewed by senior journalist Suresh Acharya.

According to Dr. Mahat, the MCC has nothing to do with any US Strategies and that the MCC as is being taken by some interested political quarters in Nepal was not at all aimed at encircling China.

The notion is not true that the MCC is a part of the US design to contain China, claims Dr. Mahat who is presumed to be comfortably close to the US administration.

However, Nepal Communist party stalwarts like Prachanda, Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhal Nath Khanal and Bam Dev Gautam have stood against the MCC and thus they prefer the US must clarify its exact purpose prior to the Parliamentary endorsement/ratification.  

Interestingly, of these four stalwarts, most of them were having intimate ties with the “Indian establishment”.

Is India playing against the US? 

Mr. JN Khanal is taken as a man close to Beijing. But Beijing is in love with the men of India and is least interested in Mr. Khanal.

This is perhaps WUHAN/CHENNAI Spirit. China is simply great.

On top of it all, Comrade Prachanda was awarded grand shelter by the Indian regime during his almost fake and Delhi centered people’s war period that lasted for a decade or so.

This was coined as Shyam Saran phenomenon in Nepal.

Mr. Saran was the Indian envoy in Nepal who managed the shelter for the Maoists rebellions, it was presumed then.

Thus a dirty web or say “Nexus” remains intact in between Mr. Saran and the Maoists now in ruling coalition, it is strongly believed even as of now.

The nexus is believed to have expanded unfortunately.

Closed envelopes have a different charm.

When Prachanda was in protected hibernation in India, the Bhartiya Janata Party was in government led by late AB Bajpayee.

And now the same BJP ruled India under PM Modi-the Blockade champion.

Some even claim that the Maoists leaders then signed a security agreement with Indian government wherein Nepal’s “heroes and builders” vowed that they would only damage Nepal but take care of the India’s core security interests.

The fact is that and the rumors substantiate it that Prachanda’s People’s war was the brain child of the Indian government to keep Nepal destabilized for decades and decades so that India’s “say” in Nepali politics could be institutionalized.

And it has taken roots in Nepal, say those who take Prachanda as a fake communist.

However, whether he is or not remains yet to be ascertained by competent men who have mastered the philosophy of “communism”.

Yet another fire brand former Maoists leader Dev Gurung says that Nepal may accept the MCC by effecting some suitable changes that are in line with Nepal’s adhered non-aligned foreign policy and the notion of Panchsheel.

Dev Gurung strongly believes that the Millennium Challenge Corporation in some way or the other is associated with the Indo-Pacific Strategy which he believes is a grand US strategy to contain China.

Should this mean that Mr. Gurung is a man close to Beijing? Not sure but his strong “NO” to the MCC does tell that he fears that the MCC is a ploy of the US to embarrass China finally.

Notably, Mr. Gurung also spent some good ten years in India together with Comrade Prachanda during India sponsored people’s War.

Dr. Mahat says that all the reiteration against the MCC were rubbish and that the financial assistance that the US is so graciously awarding to this poor developing country must not be rejected.

“The grant money thus coming from the MCC package could be utilized to expand Nepal’s road connectivity and also for the construction if the Electric Transmission line across India (Gorakhpur).

“As Nepal has already signed an agreement with India for the linking of the electric transmission line, so the Indian involvement in the MCC is only but logical” so claims Dr. Ram Saran Mahat while talking to Mr. Suresh Acharya-a former President of the Federation of Nepal Journalists

Annoyed by the ongoing meaningless debate, the US Ambassador to Nepali court Randy Berry says now that “it is up to Nepal to accept the MCC offer or reject it”, reports the Annapurna Daily dated December 26/19.

Perhaps the US envoy wants to serve a stern warning to Nepali leaders not to make the MCC a matter of controversy and that Nepal was free to reject the US offer.

However, sensible observers say that the officials of the US and Nepal should sit for a session or two and sort out the diplomatic glitches if any.

Keeping Nepal’s declared foreign policy intact, observers see no harm in accepting the huge “grant” amount offered by the US-Nepal’s oldest friend. That’s all.