India's blockade against #Nepal is a catastrophic episode in the history of Nepal-India relations !
India's blockade against #Nepal is a catastrophic episode in the history of Nepal-India relations !
India's foreign policy on Nepal terribly failed
Madan Kumar Dahal,
The protracted India's economic impasse imposed against Nepal, the third in a series during the last forty five years is not only inhuman, immoral and censurable action but also the unilateral declaration of strategic war against a neighboring land-locked country with age-old ties resulting in untold misery and sufferings in a sacred land - the birth place of Lord Buddha.
Nepal is also the bonafide member and currently Chair of SAARC, a member of the United Nations, WTO, SAFTA, BIMST-EC and the NAM. However, India overtly defied all international norms with malafied intention to impose unanticipated blockade against Nepal in favor of awkward grievances put forward by a group of defeated Kabila leaders in terai.
The agitation led by terai-based regional parties against the promulgation of Constitution (2015) with Federal Democratic Republic order and India's blockade against Nepal synchronized to create a repulsive environment that led to speedy deterioration of Nepal-India relations to its lowest ebb in recent times. There is also danger ahead that on-going agitation in terai is likely to go beyond the jurisdiction of so-called agitators that would replace terai-based leadership either by terrorists or secessionists leading to disintegration of terai from Nepal in the long run.
As of today Nepali people fully comprehend that India's blockade against Nepal is primarily designed to press for meeting the unwarranted demands orchestrated by a few disgruntled leaders representing terai-based regional parties against the letter and spirit of the new Constitution. The issue of amendment to the constitution especially in the context of setting provincial demarcation, formulating constituencies according to population and determining the rights of naturalized citizen to enjoy highest position at all levels of statecraft should be discussed in the parliament and muster two-third majority for approval.
Since the members of terai-based parties have not yet resigned from the parliament except a few, they must comeback to place their demands before the legislative-parliament. The constitution related matters can't be and should not be addressed and fulfilled from the street, for this would encourage underground militant and fanatic groups in terai to intensify the stir leading to split terai from Nepal.
India's foreign policy on Nepal terribly failed to sustain Nepal's goodwill and promote cooperation between the two countries. Nepal remained an independent nation since unification in 1768 and enjoyed full sovereignty even during the British rule in India and elsewhere. And, therefore, any attempt to underestimate and foil the status of Nepal as a sovereign nation from any quarter would be counter-productive to the connivers.
At this crucial juncture, it is imperative to review the merits and demerits of federalism and examine the problems and prospects for successful implementation of federalism in 'as is where is condition' in Nepal and explore the possibility to opt for better federalism in the long run. Nevertheless, it is not ethnicity and territory (geography) based federalism but miraculous economic development - a sufficient condition ensuring Nepal to exist as a viable economic nation-state.
Madan Dahal
