High time Nepal realises only India is its true friend
The essential supplies straitjacket that Nepal finds itself in must be ended soon before winter sets in. India's land-locked South Asian neighbour is already glaring at a grave crisis which will inevitably degenerate into a far bigger crisis impacting the entire population of Nepal if corrective measures are not taken immediately.
This is the sense this writer has got while interacting with several stakeholders in Nepal in capital Kathmandu as well as various Terai regions which are in the thick of the over 100-days agitation by the irate Madhesis.
Politicians of Nepal need to read the writing on the wall that the worsening shortage of essential supplies, like petroleum products, which come from India may snowball into a humanitarian crisis once harsh wintry conditions set in. If Nepal could have made alternate arrangements for these essential supplies for instance, from China and Bangladesh - that Nepalese politicians have been bragging about - it would have done so by now.
But the fact is that practically zilch has come to the aid of the common man of Nepal in the name of essential supplies from non-Indian sources - and nothing will. Time has come for the Nepalese politicians to leave their bluster aside and reconcile themselves to the harsh reality that only India can deliver Nepal.
The continued anti-India stand by the politicians and people of Nepal is not at all in the interest of the country. Not only is India Nepal's closest neighbour geographically, it is also, in all other terms, including cultural and emotional, the closest to Nepal.
What is happening seems to be a totally orchestrated situation, with even the politicians of Nepal, not being receptive to the needs of their country, leaving no stone unturned to worsen the already worse situation. What are the politicians gaining with the people suffering? The day-to-day needs of the political leaders are in any way taken care of by virtue of the fact that they are politicians. But what about the common man? No one seems to be bothering about this, including the agitating common man himself.
In very clear and humble terms, India has conveyed to Nepal that the blockade is not an Indian initiative and officially there is no blockade. It has also been intimated at the highest levels that the security situation at the borders needs to be improved to ensure that Indian supplies are allowed safe entry into Nepal. The Nepalese government is not doing this, which is the need of the hour, but instead indulging in an unwanted mud-slinging, not appreciating the true motives of India.
It will be in Nepal's own interest if it looks back and ponders over the past and attempts to see the assisting role India has been playing in all spheres in Nepal for the last many decades. Nepal should recall the deep cultural links both the countries share before even thinking, on whosoever’s prompting, that India is acting against Nepal’s interests.
While emphasising the importance of Nepal being friendly with India, it is equally important that India sees Nepal as a friend, which, there is no doubt India is truthfully doing.
Indian ambassador to Nepal, Ranjit Rae, has spoken on record on the current anti-India stand of Nepal. He said, "It is in the interest of Nepal, if India is at fault, you should tell us, 'this is why we dislike you', and then we can try and see what we can do about it if we can do anything about it. Of course, we can't do anything about our styles. We can't do anything about our geography. But certainly, we don’t like this anti-India feeling." He added: "I think there are sections that feel that promoting this anti-India feeling benefits them in some (way)." He noted that if Nepal had any problem with the way India behaveed or with its "micromanagement" then New Delhi should introspect on the issue.
After such a candid expression by none other than the Indian ambassador, leaders at the highest level in Nepal should let go of their stubborn stand and immediately talk to India and also issue a statement that things are being discussed with India and the common man may erase the misconceptions that India is anti-Nepal. This will bring the recently derailed, if at all, relations between India and bring Nepal back on track and will greatly help in alleviating the sufferings of the common man of Nepal.
In addition, the leaders will do well to also take concrete steps towards addressing the concerns of the people as regards the new constitution, which is the real cause leading to the present unpleasant situation. Truly, it is time for Nepal to introspect, in its own interest!
Let's not get into the question of who needs whom more, whether India needs Nepal more or vice versa. The fact is that India-Nepal ties are like an umbilical cord. After all, it is in Nepal’s interest also to be India’s friend.