Nepal: US pet design of Look East Policy will further worsen Sino-India ties

Hari Prasad Mainal

Advocate/Secretary, Free Students Union, Law Campus

Hari Prasad Mainali is an advocate. He teaches Law to the college students in Kathmandu. He had completed Masters Degree in two entirely different subjects, Political Science and Social Anthropology. Similarly, he had completed his Legis, Laterum Bachelor (LLB) as well. Now he is acting as the Secretary of Free Students Union at Nepal Law Campus, Kathmandu.

Sujit Sharma for The Telegraph Weekly and its online edition telegraphnepal.com talked to this young man on several aspects of Nepal's and regional politics.

Below the excerpts of this interview: Chief Editor

Q1: After the Supreme Court (SC) made verdict to imprison former Minister for Information Mr. JP Jupta for one and a half year, Mr. Gupta said that the decision had been a biased one as it used to be for the Madhesis. What you would like to say on such charges labeled by Mr. Gupta against the apex court?

Mainali: I totally disagree with what Mr. Gupta had said.

The leaders from Madhesh have not addressed the aspirations of the Madhesi population even after their grand elevation to the power corridors of Kathmandu. They were more concerned on fulfilling their vested personal interests. They did nothing to promote the identity and ease the livelihood of the hard working Madhesi population. They even failed to address the strong feeling of nationalism and the aspiration for the development of the Madhesi population.

Mr. Gupta's political career too has so far ignored the concerns of the people belonging to Madhesh. He might have accused SC for provoking the Madhesi sentiments. But the people of Madhesh can no more be befooled. They are now conscious enough for distinguishing between crime and identity based politics. They will not ratify the foul play of their so-called leaders.

Q2: You have just said that the Madhesi leaders have so far failed to address the strong feeling of nationalism prevailing among the Madhesi population. Can you please further elaborate it?

Mainali: None of the Madhesh based party possesses political ideologies as such and principles worth the name. These parties were not formed to transform the country's system. They were formed to amass political /material gains by provoking the Madhesi sentiments. And they are energized not by the support of the domestic population, but by the alien forces. No need to get confused in this regard.

Q3: Which alien forces are energizing the Madhesh based parties? Mr. Mainali, can you please name some of those forces if you could?

Mainali: I prefer to remain tightlipped on it. I apologize for this. The maneuvering of alien forces in Madhesh based party has now become an open secret. I don't think it is necessary because it doesn’t demand further elaboration.

Q4: Some Nepali leaders are accusing SC for trying to extract unwarranted benefit from the prevailing fragile political situation.  What do they mean in saying so? Can you guess?

Mainali: Nepali leaders are getting afraid of their dysfunctional political career. They are jealous with the growing popularity of the judicial organ. Some corrupt leaders have become afraid from the imprisonment of Mr. Gupta and they are trying escaping themselves by labeling several flimsy charges against the Court and thereby defaming this State Judicial organ.

Q5: Now let’s talk about the national politics. When Dr. Baburam Bhattarai led incumbent government will be toppled? Can you guess?

Mainali: The extended tenure of the Constituent Assembly (CA) is going to expire on May 27, 2012, and before this, there is high possibility of the resignation of Dr. Bhattarai from the Prime Ministerial post.  This is what I guess.

Q6: Will the national politics take a fresh turn after the said resignation of Dr. Bhattarai?

Mainali: As far as I believe, the tenure of the CA will not be further extended and this body will ultimately be dissolved. The political parties may agree to go in for a new election. If it so happens, then several vested interest groups will all of sudden become active in Nepal and their assertive move may chart a new political course inside Nepal and its politics.

Q7: Mr. Mainali, you are making quiet thrilling remarks. Can you please further be candid enough as to what exactly you mean to say?

Mainali: After the country embraces a fresh election, some alien forces will try to manipulate the situation for making Nepal's socio-political situation more fragile and instable. The government will be made so weak that it will fail to curb the escalating instability and anarchist activities. Amidst this hotchpotch, there is the highly likelihood of the reinstatement of now sidelined Monarchy.  Something now is being cooked up behind the scene. India is also thinking in reinstating Monarchy and making it a powerful political center of Nepal. This is what I believe.

Q8: How can you say that India wants to reinstate monarchy in Nepal? Can you forward some sound logic to back your atypical argument? 

Mainali: Let me remind you as to what the Indian Ambassador Mr. Jayant Prasad said some days ago?

He had said that besides the Nepalese Congress and the Communists, Monarchy (Royalists) too is a major power center of Nepal. India has, of late, realized that their policy in Nepal has largely failed after the ouster of Monarchy from the Nepali political landscape.  Former King Gyanendra Shah has now just returned from suspicious hibernation inside India where he had reportedly met Madam Sonia Gandhi. Don’t you smell rat in all these suspicious activities?

Q9: How India will extract political benefits if Monarchy gets reinstated?

Mainali: The political development of Nepal followed by Second People's uprising was totally against the expectation of New Delhi. Anti-India sentiments have now increased dramatically among the Nepali population.

New Delhi had then decided to use Madhesh card for taming Kathmandu and intensifying its grip in Nepal's national politics. But unfortunately, things went against the expectations of New Delhi.  The leadership of Madhesh became so opportunist that India felt difficult to believe their pro-Indian credentials.  Some of the India's yes men from Madhes went to the Chinese lobby even. And other power center as well.

Q10: Do you think that Nepali people will be loyal towards India after Monarchy gets reinstated?

Mainali: India might have thought so, but I don’t think that this is likely to happen.

Until and unless India halts to bring to an end to its direct or indirect interference in Nepal and begin to treat our country on equal and reciprocal basis, India cannot improve its waning position in Nepal. Nepalese people want to have warm and cordial relations with India for strengthening bilateral interest but that should be based on equal footing.

If India does not realize this fact and goes on behaving in a hegemonic manner in Nepali matters, then no matter whichever political system is installed in Nepal that is not going to serve Indian interests at all. In today’s cultured world, no any country should think of fulfilling its vested interests by pushing other countries in trouble. As a good friend of India, I suggest the Indian establishment to realize this fact soon.

Q11. Do you think that Monarchy is likely to be reinstated?

Mainali: I think so. The external dynamics of Nepali politics has made to arrive at this conclusion.

China will be happy to welcome Monarchy because monarchy in Nepal has remained a trusted friend of China. Monarchy used to be close to China in the past and this had made India cautious towards Monarchy several times in Nepal’s history. Looking after the assertiveness of India, Monarchy had cultivated communist forces in Nepal to defend Nepali nationalism whenever Monarchy became weak. This policy of Monarchy gave the desired outlet on post 1990 and 2006 period.

While talking about India, I think that India had realized its policy vis-à-vis Nepal needs a paradigm shift and Monarchy should be made a center of power in Nepal. If India does not effect changes in its Nepal policy, then in the coming days, the political parties and the leaders of Madhesh will be with India whereas the entire Madhesi population will be strong anti-Indian.

While speaking about the West, the western countries have always desired to keep monarchy in a suitable form.

Given this external dynamics of Nepali politics, I am almost sure on the restoration of Monarchy. 

Q12: Senior leader of CPN UML Mr. KP Oli has recently charged Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai of being an Indian agent.  Why Mr. Oli might have made grave accusations of this sort against Dr. Bhattarai?

Mainali: Mr. Oli usually does not give any statement without having any substantial evidence. It would be better if media persons ask with Mr. Oli to further clarify his hair-raising charges.

Not only Oli, but most of the Nepali people including me also believe that the charges of Oli are not unjustifiable. Besides signing BIPPA agreement with India, most of the works of Dr. Bhattarai as the Prime Minister of Nepal were directed towards promoting exclusive Indian interests. I don’t think it will be exaggeration if one suspects Dr. Bhattarai for being an India man stationed in Kathmandu.

 Q13: Thank you for your interesting comments. Mr. Mainai, we have come to know that you are also keenly studying regional political dynamics since long. Can you please let our august readers know about the recent trend of politics of South Asian Region?

Mainali: South Asia is a strategically and economically significant vast land mass with multiethnic population. Politics of this region usually gets overshadowed by the ethnic sentiments.

Let me support my argument with some substantial evidences.

The Bhutanese refugee problem has its root on ethnicity. The Independence of Bangladesh some decades ago was also the result of the ethnic antagonism. Recently suppressed Tamil insurgency of Sri Lanka was also the result of ethnic animosity prevailing between Tamil and the Sinhalese. Afghanistan and Pakistan are since long in a row because of the variance of Ethnicity. The difference between Dalai Lama and China is yet another example of ethnic based rivalry in this region.

In Nepal also, ethnic movement is gradually swelling and the demand for the absolute provincial autonomy are being made strongly. Against this backdrop, we can say that the ethnic issues will dominate the politics of this region in coming days as well. The involvement of Western countries in the delicate ethnic composition of this region is making the situation even worst.

 Q14: Why the Western countries are trying to manipulate the ethnic animosity prevailing in this region? Can you please throw some more light in this regard?

Mainali: The western capitalist countries want to engage the whole Asian continent in their own internal problems. Amidst this troubled situation, they want to exploit the vast strategic and economic resources of this region for prolonging their supremacy in the present day global affair. For this purpose, they are trying to maneuver within the complex and contradictory ethnic composition of this region.

Besides promoting ethnic antagonism, the West is also trying to create hostility among the powerful nations of Asia. Let’s take the example of US factor in Sino-India relations. The US has well realized that if China and India get united and begin to cooperate according top priorities to their mutual benefits on different global and regional affairs, then the US supremacy in political, economic, military and socio-cultural ground is sure to decline rapidly. Therefore, the US is hell bent on not to let this happen at any cost. For this, the US is encouraging India to advance its involvement in Southeast Asia, a backyard of China, in the name of “Look East Policy”. “Look East Policy” indeed is the brainchild of the US and this policy is eventually aimed towards escalating hostility among the two Asian giant i.e. India and China.

 Q15: Thank you for your enlightening remarks. Mr. Mainali, of late Kathmandu is experiencing diplomatic pressure from Beijing and Washington on the Tibetan issues. What sort of policy Kathmandu should exercise for balancing these two friendlier nations of Nepal?

Mainali: First of all, Kathmandu should be clear on what the national interests of Nepal are? After the national interests are known, then we should try to deal with other nations for strengthening those national interests.

China is an all-whether friend of Nepal. China has never tried to undermine the sovereignty of our country and till now she hasn’t given any statement against our sovereignty and territorial integrity. China has always stood in favor of sovereign and independent Nepal.

Given this situation, we should also behave with China on reciprocal basis. The Tibetan issue is the internal affair of China and therefore Nepal should never try to get involved in the internal affairs of any other country. From our level, we should try to strengthen the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of our neighboring countries, both China and India.

Exclusive for telegraphnepal.com

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I agree

Comments

  • Posted on - 2012-03-17    by     Sushila Mainali
  • yes, real analyses of the resent regional politics
  • Posted on - 2012-03-03    by     Ranjana
  • Nice interview,in context of relevant issues and politics of south Asian region. Such interviews not only raise the current issues but also broaden the mind of readers like us.
  • Posted on - 2012-03-03    by     Purushotam
  • Well said our youth leader & Lawyer Mr. Mainali.its whole thing thing about contemporary issue.Change is a contineous process, at least we can improve something but we must need to do something. i wish Our senior leader realize those things/issue.
  • Posted on - 2012-03-03    by     Sudharson Thapaliya
  • thought provoking interview...i agree with Mr. Mainali's view on Madhes and judiciary. but i don't think the possibility of 'return of monarchy' in any form and the notion of 'foreign conspiracy' in reinstating monarchy.
  • Posted on - 2012-03-03    by     nabin
  • yes, iam totally agree with you hari sir...
  • Posted on - 2012-03-03    by     Netra Subedi
  • so direct and logical expressions about the politico-ethinic outside pressure to Nepal in special and south Asia in general.
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