04-23-2006, 12:53 PM
http://www.deccan.com/home/homedetails.asp...0in%20Kathmandu
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Anger at India builds in Kathmandu
New Delhi, April 22: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has left for Germany, leaving behind a raging controversy within and outside his government, even as the anger of the people of Nepal is now directed against India and King Gyanendra. The proposal aimed at isolating the Maoists has not succeeded, with the Indian political establishment now visibly worried about the fallout of the governmentâs decision to bail out the King with a proposal that did not recognise the seven-party alliance and the Maoists demand for a Constituent Assembly.
JNU professor S.D. Muni, extremely angry with the governmentâs secret mission, was the first to point out that âNew Delhi will be in a soup now, as the anger in Nepal will be directed against India and the King.â The reports from Kathmandu after the SPA formally rejected the proposal, made it clear that the pro-democracy protests are now targeting the Manmohan Singh government as well as King Gyanendra. BJP leader Jaswant Singh, who was expected to visit Nepal on the invitation of the King, is now having second thoughts as several leaders from Nepal have made it clear to their colleagues here that the situation will no longer be âsafeâ for Indian politicians seeking to visit the King.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is said to have rushed into action after he was told that BJP leader Jaswant Singh was planning to visit Kathmandu on the invitation of King Gyanendra and wanted a briefing from foreign secretary Shyam Saran. Sources said that it was then suggested to send Dr Karan Singh to Nepal instead, and he was contacted at Jammu and told about the mission.
Acting as the messenger of the Prime Minister, Dr Karan Singh went post-haste with a letter to Nepal. Although, he had some nominal discussions with the political leaders, he reportedly gave them no idea about the Indian proposal. Sources here said that the SPA was not informed and nor were the Left parties and the other allies of the UPA government. Foreign secretary Shyam Saran also had left for a scheduled visit to Bhutan from where he rushed to Nepal to join Dr Karan Singh in his mission.
Informed sources said that the government was acting along with the US that has also been very keen to isolate the Maoists and retain the King as a constitutional monarch. In fact, Dr Karan Singh remains totally impervious to the serious developments in Nepal since his visit, maintaining that the Himalayan country will be thrown into a âdeeper crisisâ if the alliance refuses to form the government.
Nepal activists who have been holding large meetings under the anti-monarchy banner here told this correspondent that New Delhi âmust learn to listen to the people of Nepal instead of working out secret deals with the King and the Americans.â
Once again, the Prime Minister did not see the need for getting Cabinet clearance for the proposal that was kept under the covers. Retired Major General Ashok Mehta told this newspaper that the proposal should have been discussed with the Nepal political parties, and the leadership should have been taken on board. He said that this was clearly not done. âWe did not work it out, and this was all a last minute, slap dash effort.â
The CPI(M) Politbureau has come out in strong support of the democratic forces in Nepal pointing out that âthe UPA government would do well to heed the wishes of the people of Nepal.â It said that the Kingâs proposal to hand over âexecutive powerâ to the political parties was just a âface saving gestureâ and the political parties have ârightly rejectedâ this. CPI(M) MP Sitaram Yechury, who is in Nepal, said that the Maoists had very strong political influence and they would have to be included in the democratic process. âExcluding the Maoists will be a great disservice to the movement in Nepal,â he said. The sources said that the aim behind the Indian proposal was to isolate the Maoists. Dr Karan Singh made this clear when he said, âAs far as the Maoists are concerned, let the political parties first assume power. They can then negotiate with the Maoists.
You donât expect the King to talk to them. Let the parties discuss with the rebels and try for a ceasefire.â He said that India favoured a constitutional monarchy in Nepal when he was asked by reporters about the reported plans of Nepal political parties to frame a Constitution without any role for the monarch. The BJP also expressed similar views with former deputy prime minister L.K. Advani maintaining that the effort should be to âcompletely isolate Maoists in Nepal.â He also advised the government to tread cautiously but with this end in mind. Significantly, the SPA-Maoists alliance so far appears to have held fast in Nepal with sources from Kathmandu pointing out that there was little likelihood of a split.
âWe are all aware of the efforts by your government and the Americans to break the alliance between the political parties and the Maoists but we have also realised that if we want to get rid of this King and establish a democracy we all have to stay together,â the sources said. By this one gesture and the decision to immediately support King Gyanendraâs announcement without waiting for the democratic forces in Nepal to respond, the sources said, India had lost its complete authority to intervene in the crisis. âNo one is going to listen to you now, your government is seen as a King supporter,â the sources said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Anger at India builds in Kathmandu
New Delhi, April 22: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has left for Germany, leaving behind a raging controversy within and outside his government, even as the anger of the people of Nepal is now directed against India and King Gyanendra. The proposal aimed at isolating the Maoists has not succeeded, with the Indian political establishment now visibly worried about the fallout of the governmentâs decision to bail out the King with a proposal that did not recognise the seven-party alliance and the Maoists demand for a Constituent Assembly.
JNU professor S.D. Muni, extremely angry with the governmentâs secret mission, was the first to point out that âNew Delhi will be in a soup now, as the anger in Nepal will be directed against India and the King.â The reports from Kathmandu after the SPA formally rejected the proposal, made it clear that the pro-democracy protests are now targeting the Manmohan Singh government as well as King Gyanendra. BJP leader Jaswant Singh, who was expected to visit Nepal on the invitation of the King, is now having second thoughts as several leaders from Nepal have made it clear to their colleagues here that the situation will no longer be âsafeâ for Indian politicians seeking to visit the King.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is said to have rushed into action after he was told that BJP leader Jaswant Singh was planning to visit Kathmandu on the invitation of King Gyanendra and wanted a briefing from foreign secretary Shyam Saran. Sources said that it was then suggested to send Dr Karan Singh to Nepal instead, and he was contacted at Jammu and told about the mission.
Acting as the messenger of the Prime Minister, Dr Karan Singh went post-haste with a letter to Nepal. Although, he had some nominal discussions with the political leaders, he reportedly gave them no idea about the Indian proposal. Sources here said that the SPA was not informed and nor were the Left parties and the other allies of the UPA government. Foreign secretary Shyam Saran also had left for a scheduled visit to Bhutan from where he rushed to Nepal to join Dr Karan Singh in his mission.
Informed sources said that the government was acting along with the US that has also been very keen to isolate the Maoists and retain the King as a constitutional monarch. In fact, Dr Karan Singh remains totally impervious to the serious developments in Nepal since his visit, maintaining that the Himalayan country will be thrown into a âdeeper crisisâ if the alliance refuses to form the government.
Nepal activists who have been holding large meetings under the anti-monarchy banner here told this correspondent that New Delhi âmust learn to listen to the people of Nepal instead of working out secret deals with the King and the Americans.â
Once again, the Prime Minister did not see the need for getting Cabinet clearance for the proposal that was kept under the covers. Retired Major General Ashok Mehta told this newspaper that the proposal should have been discussed with the Nepal political parties, and the leadership should have been taken on board. He said that this was clearly not done. âWe did not work it out, and this was all a last minute, slap dash effort.â
The CPI(M) Politbureau has come out in strong support of the democratic forces in Nepal pointing out that âthe UPA government would do well to heed the wishes of the people of Nepal.â It said that the Kingâs proposal to hand over âexecutive powerâ to the political parties was just a âface saving gestureâ and the political parties have ârightly rejectedâ this. CPI(M) MP Sitaram Yechury, who is in Nepal, said that the Maoists had very strong political influence and they would have to be included in the democratic process. âExcluding the Maoists will be a great disservice to the movement in Nepal,â he said. The sources said that the aim behind the Indian proposal was to isolate the Maoists. Dr Karan Singh made this clear when he said, âAs far as the Maoists are concerned, let the political parties first assume power. They can then negotiate with the Maoists.
You donât expect the King to talk to them. Let the parties discuss with the rebels and try for a ceasefire.â He said that India favoured a constitutional monarchy in Nepal when he was asked by reporters about the reported plans of Nepal political parties to frame a Constitution without any role for the monarch. The BJP also expressed similar views with former deputy prime minister L.K. Advani maintaining that the effort should be to âcompletely isolate Maoists in Nepal.â He also advised the government to tread cautiously but with this end in mind. Significantly, the SPA-Maoists alliance so far appears to have held fast in Nepal with sources from Kathmandu pointing out that there was little likelihood of a split.
âWe are all aware of the efforts by your government and the Americans to break the alliance between the political parties and the Maoists but we have also realised that if we want to get rid of this King and establish a democracy we all have to stay together,â the sources said. By this one gesture and the decision to immediately support King Gyanendraâs announcement without waiting for the democratic forces in Nepal to respond, the sources said, India had lost its complete authority to intervene in the crisis. âNo one is going to listen to you now, your government is seen as a King supporter,â the sources said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->